Of Roses and Green Gems
by Illogical Human
Summary: Life after the reclaiming of the Lonely Mountain is about to get much more interesting. After marring Thorin, Bilba finds herself in the family way and in need of advice. After receiving their cousins letter, two of her Took cousins are more than up for the challenge and find themselves on an adventure of their own in Erebor.
1. Double the Trouble

Ch. 1

On the fifth day of spring following the reclaiming of the Lonely Mountain, much awaited news arrived in the Shire about one Bilba Baggins. The news itself was quite sensational and caused a stir among her relatives. Not only was their dear cousin still alive, but she had found her mate among one of the dwarves; the king to be exact, and was expecting her first faunt.

"Prim!" A honey blond yanked the covers off pf an identical hobbit lass, "Why are you not up yet!?"

"Peri…" a whine issued from the bed as Primrose Took sat up and gave her sister an unimpressed look, "It's hardly even sunrise, why are you even awake yet?"

"Come on Prim, you promised that you would go visit grandfather with me today so that we could read Bilba's letter for ourselves instead of hearing about it second hand from Aunt Rosa. I for one want to know if it's true about a Raven of all things delivering the letter. And the Dwarves! I heard from cousin Marigold that Bilba married their king! A king Prim! Oh we just have to go right now and find the truth of it all!"

"Peridot, we haven't even had first breakfast yet, do you really expect grandfather to be up yet? Now hand me the blue ribbons so I can fix that mop you call hair and we will start fixing breakfast for everyone."

…..

Primrose and Peridot Took, the youngest daughters of the Thains youngest son; they had three older brothers and one older sister, all married good and proper mind you, and were dear cousin to one Bilba Baggins. A dear cousin they were quite put out with after she ran off on an adventure without so much as a farewell. Now, according to her letter, she would not be returning to the Shire at all. This would simply not do the girls decided.

After dropping in on their grandfather for second breakfast and confusing him with dozens of questions asked one on top of the other they were finally allowed to read the letter for themselves. A raven really had delivered the letter to the Shire, and Bilba had gone on a most exhilarating adventure with a group of dwarves and Gandalf of all people. She had met her match in one of the dwarves who really was the king of the dwarves, and she really was expecting her first child. This, however, was not what the girls considered to be the best part of the letter; apparently a caravan of dwarves would be passing through on their way to the mountain to collect a few things that Bilba requested from her home. This is where the girls saw an opportunity, one way or another the girls were determined to join that caravan.

….

In the week leading up to the caravan's arrival, the twins kept making offhand comments to their grandfather about how different childbirth must be between the two peoples. How this was poor sweet Bilba's first ever child and how nervous she must be. How she would feel much better if she had some of her hobbit family with her, family that was experienced in childbirth as trained midwives. After only three days the Thain said that if the dwarves agreed then they could take the menaces away and keep them so long as he could finally enjoy a meal in silence.

In smug satisfaction the girls retreated to their rooms in the great smiel and go through their things. What did one bring along on an adventure?

…

When the day finally arrived, only a small group of dwarrow with a few wagons could be seen making their way down Bagshot Row, the rest of the caravan had stayed in Bree to wait. The twins stood waiting in the front garden with Bilba's cousin Drogo and his intended Primula Brandybuck. Drogo was going to be moving into Bagend at Bilba's request now that she would not be returning.

…..

When Dwalin had agreed to escort the caravan with Dis and Bilba's personal belongings, he had been prepared for almost anything; Orcs, goblins, maybe even another Troll. What he was not ready for was an identical pair of grinning blond haired, green eyed lasses to come bounding out of Bagend's front gate as he pulled his pony to a stop. Bilba had said that some of her cousins would be meeting them, but she had failed to mention who. He can still remember the conversation the company had had about family on the trip to Erebor. They had all been shocked to learn that Bilba's mother had been one of eleven children, with most hobbit families having five or six children. He was sure Balin had almost fainted when she began to speak about multiple births and how common they were among hobbits. Apparently she had not been spinning fairy fluff like he first thought.

The one calling herself Peridot was taking the ponies and carts around the back with another hobbit called Drogo while the one that introduced herself as Primrose welcomed them inside with another lass named Primula and kept chattering about tea and biscuits and how lunch would be ready in about an hour if they wanted to rest themselves. Dwalin opted to have a lie down, twins hobbits, much more addling than wargs.

….

Lunch with the four hobbits had been an interesting affair, the twins peppered them with questions and filled in the near silence of the other two hobbits with an almost constant stream of information. Dwalin learned that they were some of Bilba's Took cousins, Drogo was a Baggins cousin, and Primula was his betrothed and a Brandybuck, also a distant cousin of some kind.

Despite their young age both twins were apparently learned midwives and to his growing horror would be accompanying the caravan to Erebor to be with Bilba when her time came.

Dis loved them. The traitor.

"We are so glad to have you on the journey Lady Dis," one of the twins spoke up, he still couldn't tell them apart, "I hope you don't mind if my sister and I grill you for information on the particulars of dwarven pregnancies," Each race carries so differently," the other cut in, "men carry for nine months while elves for twelve for example." "How long to dwarven pregnancies tend to last?""

This conversation had swiftly devolved into territory Dwalin did not want to be present for. Dis shot Dwalin a grin as if sensing his discomfort before answering. "A dwarf will typically carry for five seasons, so fifteen months."

The Brandybuck lass began to choke on her tea while the other three hobbits turned pale.

"Fif…fifteen months!?" Peridot exclaimed, "Oh sweet green lady!"

Dis began to look worried, "How long to hobbits tend to carry?"

"Two seasons!"

Dis gasped. "So short?"

"This might be much more complicated than we anticipated. If you will excuse us we need to write a letter to Bilba and begin preparing to depart as soon as possible."

Dwalin and Dis watched as the girls began having a strange silent conversation with head tilts and eyebrow raises as they moved to one side of the room containing books on herbs, no longer paying their guests any mind.

"Don't mind them," Drogo spoke up, "Even among other hobbit multiples and their own Tookish cousins the girls have always been an oddity. Fairy blood they say."

"Nonsense." The other lass broke in, "the girls are no more fairies then they are elves. It's just one of those twin things."

"Twin things?" Dis asked intrigued.

"Yes, well, while multiples are common among hobbits, identical twins are actually quite rare. It is said that each set has a special connection or gift of some sort. The girls are able to speak without words, and across great distances if they find themselves separated."

Dwalin looked between the two little lasses with interest; he had never heard of such a thing before and longed to tell Ori. Maybe there was something about it in the library at Erebor.

When the twins next spoke it almost startled him he was so deep in thought. They had apparently decided that they would need much more than originally planned, and would need to return to Took Hall immediately to repack.

After repeated apologies and promises to return as soon as they could, Dwalin watched two blond hobbit lasses race out the green door and up the lane before vanishing over a hill.

Standing next to him was Dis, planning all the ways she could introduce the girls to Erebor with a gleam in her eyes. Her sons had gotten their mischievousness from her after all.

If there was one thing Dwalin was sure of, it was that introducing Bilba's cousins to Erebor was going to almost as exciting as facing a dragon.

….

Author's Note

…

So first chapter of something new. The hobbit fandom has claimed much of my attention lately and I felt the need to add. If you have read any of my other stuff don't worry I'm abandoning anything. Just taking a detour.

As always my stuff gets posted without being beta read, I'm too impatient to let anyone else read it before posting so all mistakes are mine. Let me know if you see something that is confusing, sometimes the girls will go back and for while talking and I'm not very good at dialog to begin with so there is that.

I'm posting the first two chapters together so please make sure not to get confused.

Other than that… please let me know what you think.


	2. Journey to the Mountain

This is Chapter Two! Please make sure to go back and read chapter one first.

Ch.2

The morning that the caravan was to leave dawned cool and cloudless; the twins could be found fussing over last minute items and their worth much to the amusement of the surrounding dwarrow. They had spent nearly a week in the Shire, far too long if one was to ask the twins, but now it was time to move on. The journey was going to be long since the caravan had to take the Gap of Rohan around the Misty Mountains. The twins just hoped that Bilba could last that long. Her letter had not said how far along she was and Dwalin was no help at all because he had not even known she was expecting before leaving.

…

After more well wishes and farewells than necessary the group was finally on its' way shortly after second breakfast. Primrose had squeezed herself between the side of the cart and a barrel of fall apples to read while Peridot rode up front leading the ponies with Dis ridding along. Both were ready to reach the mountain as soon as possible. Dis answering questions and comparing notes on the differences between hobbits and dwarves.

Peridot could feel Primrose worrying, like an itch in the back of her mind. Being the eldest Primrose was the worrier of the two, always the voice of reason when their adventures called for it, not that they listened. Peri was worrying too, though she hid it from Prim a little better. They still remembered when Aunt Belladonna had been alive and how all the other ladies whispered about her troubles carrying Bilba when they thought no one else was around to hear. Peri worried that this was something Bilba could have trouble with as well.

"Dis," Peridot began, "if you don't mind me asking, how hard is it for a dwarrowdam to carry to term? Is it rare to lose a child?"

Dis sighed, "Unfortunately it is all too common to lose a child, at least during the wondering days. My eldest was born before we settled in the Blue Mountains and he came early. Thorin and Vili worried for months that he wouldn't make it he was so small. But I knew my boy was strong. I lost one between Fili and Kili; I was almost nine months along at the time and could hardly walk after. The lads had to take turns carrying me and Fili; we didn't have a pony at the time. It was years before Vili and I tried again; we had settled by then and the risk was much lower."

Peri nodded as she listened. "I guess you realized by now what an anomaly Bilba is being an only child."

"I confess that I have wondered about that. She seems to have cousins to spare."

"Aye, that she does. From what grandmother has said, Aunt Bell grew very sick during pregnancy and lost several children before carrying Bilba to term. She was warned against trying again as they were afraid the next might kill her. So she and Uncle Bungo remained happy with Bilba as their only child. I think that's what made it all the more devastating when they passed early. Poor Bilba was never quite the same after that; didn't come to visit as often anymore much to grandfathers' disappointment. My sister and I worry for her you understand. We don't want her to face the same problems that her mother did. I'm not sure her heart could take it."

As they traveled on, they lapsed into companionable silence; each thinking about what waited at the end of the journey and each hoping for the best.

…

As the first month flew by the twins endeared themselves to the dwarrow of the caravan as soon as they got used to sleeping on the road, they were just rowdy enough to cut loose in the evenings, learning the words to several bawdy songs and singing along loudly. They were also found to be highly educated in many different subjects leading to several interesting conversations. The girls had even had a lengthy conversation with a miner named Rorin about the meanings of gemstones and how they compared to flower language.

They were eager to learn anything the dwarrow were willing to teach.

The trip so far had been uneventful to everyone's relief. Dwalin was not keen on reliving his first trip to the mountain anytime soon, even if they were taking the long way around, the less danger the better.

Dis was also relieved. The caravan was full of families with more than a few young ones running around. The hobbit lasses were almost always surrounded by the young begging for stories and treats that the girls seemed to have in no short supply and always happy to oblige. They would laugh when their mothers would come to collect them in the evening apologizing if they caused any trouble. They girls swore that after watching their cousins on the Took side a few rambunctious younglings were nothing.

…..

It was as the group moved through the Gap that they first encountered trouble. A pack of wild men attacked after they had stopped to set up camp for the evening.

They had been set upon almost without warning, Primrose had moved to help Dwalin build a fire when she snapped up and turned to look east, ears almost twitching. Dwalin had jumped up and pulled his axes, remembering well how sharp hobbits ears were and blocked what would have been a killing blow to the lass as the first attacker came leaping over a hill.

As metal clashed, the rest of the caravan sprang into action, corralling those that could not fight into the center of the group as the defenders met the threat. Primrose had taken up a frying pan after her initial shock of almost dying had worn off and began to work her way to Peridot in the center of the group. She knew that she was nothing but a liability and needed to get out of the way, striking at the knees of the wild men that kept getting in her way and couldn't be bothered to look down as they were focusing on the armed dwarves.

Almost as soon as she reached the center the scuffle was over, leaving only one unlucky lad lightly injured with a cut down his arm. Peridot set upon him and stitched him up before he could even protest, much to the amusement of the other warriors.

Dis was grumpy that they had to move camp and caused everyone to have to wait longer for a hot meal.

The miner that the girls had made friends with kept embellishing Primroses prowess with a blunt weapon, much to her embarrassment. A hobbit wielding cookware was a thing to be feared.

Prim just wanted to forget about the man's face as Dwalin had sunk his axe into his chest.

….

Prim was having another nightmare. Peridot sat late into the night with her sending soothing thoughts and snatching away the dark ones before they could take root. It was exhausting but made the nights easier for everyone else. And Peri could always catch up on sleep in the wagon after they broke camp, even if she missed a few meals.

Peridot had not seen the blood shed as it took place, only the aftermath, and that had been bad enough. But Peri knew that Master Dwalin had slain one of the attackers practically right over Prims head if the blood she had been covered in was any indication. Not to mention the ones she had attacked with her skillet.

Dwalin could see the lass was suffering. He watched as her sister kept vigil throughout the night to keep her from screaming out and waking the camp. The wilds were no place for gentle folk. Bilba had shown to be made of strong stuff, but even that had come after much heart ache. He hoped that what Bilba called the wild Took side was strong enough, for he had a feeling the dangers of the trip were far from over.

…

Primrose was not impressed with Rohan. The wide plains and great crags of stone scattered through the foothills of the Misty Mountains made her uneasy and only served to fuel her nightmares. She flinched at any unexpected sound; growing quieter as they days grew on. They had been met by a group of Rohirrim two days after the attack to act as an escort through their lands, but it hardly made her feel any safer. The Horse Lords were not at all a sensible size. Far too tall and tending to look down their noses at her if she had to speak to one of them. She was more than glad to see the back of them when they were met by a small band of elves at the southern borders of Mirkwood. Another boon was the fact that they would be skirting the borders of Mirkwood and never actually setting foot under the trees. Just being at the edges made her physically ill, even Peridot seemed to be wilting close to the oppressive boughs.

….

The caravan had reached the southern edges of Mirkwood when news of them finally reached Erebor. Bilba had been spending time in the library with Ori researching everything on Dwarves pregnancies after receiving the letter from her cousins.

She was nervous and excited to have two of her cousins in the mountain, and also relieved. While she knew they were dependable, they were also Tooks and full of a special brand of trouble. She had also refused to say much of anything about them to Thorin or the rest of the company, saying that she didn't want to ruin the surprise. Twins after all didn't exist among dwarves.

…

Thorin was a wreck. While he was the same as ever on the outside he was coming apart inside. He and Bilba had not really been trying for a child when she fell pregnant; they had underestimated the compatibility of their two races and the crazy fertility of hobbits. Now here they were, six months in and past the time when a hobbit would bear their children according to Bilba.

Oin was coming by every day to check her over; much to Bilba aggravation, but Thorin was not taking any chances, even if she was really only starting to show.

He was relieved when they received word that help would be arriving in a few short weeks in the form of his sister and a pair of cousins of Bilba's on her mother's side. He kept getting the feeling that Bilba was hiding a big joke from the way she would grin whenever her cousins were brought up. She just kept assuring him that even though they were Tooks they were wonderful girls and would be a big help.

He just wanted the whole ordeal to be over with already.

…

They were a week away from Esgaroth when Dwalin's bad feelings payed off. They began to hear howls on the wind that morning when they broke camp. The younglings were piled into the wagons and kept in the center with the hobbits while they traveled. It wasn't until it was time to stop for the evening that they were attacked for the second time on the trip. Mounted orcs set upon the group, the great wargs ripping through some of the ponies at the head of the caravan and sending the others into a panic.

Sensing their panic Primrose made the decision and cut the ponies loose from the wagon right before they bolted. Slipping inside the wagon with her sister she took up her pan again before crawling back to the front seat to stand guard beside Dis. Peridot and Rorin stood guard at the back, the younglings hiding inside.

The fight had been winding down when one of the last wargs broke through the ranks and leapt upon the wagon. It swerved around Dis's axes before swiping out and catching Prim knocking her off the wagon. She gave a squeak of fright as she plummeted to the ground, the beast coming down on top of her.

Disoriented after striking the ground, Primrose was barely able to catch the beast's teeth with her skillet on a backswing as they made to close around her. The warg jumped back with a howl of pain trailing a deep gash across Prims arm as she knocked a few of its fangs loose before it made to attack again. Dis was upon it before it got that far, slicing through its neck in one swing, spraying blood as it cut through the artery.

Primrose laid still and panting on the ground, once again covered in blood.

"Primrose!" Dis cried as the fell at the stunned hobbits side, gently taking the wounded arm in her hands to inspect the damage. There was a deep gash from her elbow down across the top of her hand, blood flowing out unchecked. Peridot came flying around from the back of the wagon as soon as the fighting had ended eyes wide and almost panicked, an elf trailing in her wake.

"I'm," Prim swallowed hard around a bolt of pain as the elf poured something on the wound to clean it, "I'm okay. Just rattled is all."

"I'm going to need to stich this, and then I will need to see about the wound on the back of your head." The elf began pulling supplies from a satchel.

"Prim, what happened? Are you really okay?" Peridot was clutching the hand of her uninjured arm tightly. "Prim…I can't hear you…"

Primrose slowly turned her head away from her arm and watching the elf to look at her sister. "What do you mean?"

"In my head, I can't hear you." She murmured, "There is usually always a low hum when we are not actively speaking, like you're always just a whisper away. Now though, it's like the time I fell out of that apple tree when we were little. Do you remember?"

"Yeah…It knocked you out. Mother said I cried about it being too quiet, even after you woke up."

"A concussion I would say," the elf broke in, "You must have taken a hard fall. We will get you cleaned up and packed up in one of the wagons." He looked over to Dis, "Someone else will need to sit with them and keep her awake. I think the other hobbit is feeling side effects of their connection being interrupted." Dis nodded gravely in understanding. A rattled head was nothing to take lightly.

…

They were almost there. They had passed Esgaroth early that morning and would be staying in Dale for the night, reaching Erebor by second breakfast the next day. Dis had already received a raven from the mountain stating that Thorin would be meeting them at the gates with Dwalin's brother.

Primrose's arm was healing well, though still bandaged and kept in a sling. The twins mind gift had come back a few days after the attack much to everyone's relief. The two had been inseparable until then, Rorin and Dis keeping watch over the two girls as Prim healed and Peri mopped.

They were treated to a welcome dinner by Bard the night of their stay, everyone finally unwinding enough to relax, their journey almost over.

Primrose sat at the table between Peridot and Rorin enjoying the music and watching as some danced around the floor. "Master Rorin, are you joining family in Erebor?"

"Nay lass, what family I had after the wondering years I lost in the mines of the Blue Mountains. I travel to Erebor not only because it is where my family originated from, but because it will be safer to practice my trade. I heard tell that Bofur was made master of the mines of Erebor after the reclaiming of the mountain. I trusted heavily in his good stone sense when we worked together before he left. I will trust it now as I work under him in Erebor. He's a good dwarf, I'm sure you will meet him, being part of Thorin's Company."

"I hope we will still see each other," Peridot joined in the conversation looking around her sister, "you have been a good friend on this journey."

"Aye lass, I would like that. I will be living in the lower halls with the other miners. But you should only have to give my name and I'm sure someone will lead you in the right direction. I'll let those I will be close to know to be on the lookout for a pair of identical hobbit lasses. I'm sure the other lads will want to meet you." He laughed, "It's not every day you meet a pair that look exactly alike."

The girls grinned as they continued their meal. Erebor was sounding like a promising place, even if it was a little more adventure than they wanted in getting there.

…

Bilba was seated at the gates with Thorin standing behind and Fili and Kili on either side of her early the next day, her hand kept drifting to her midsection to softly stroke across a bump that was growing larger by the day. Thorin was being paranoid and refused to let her be at the gates at all unless she stayed in her seat. He was not taking any chances.

When the first of the wagons appeared she sat up straighter as the excitement of family grew. She had been so worried when they received word that the caravan had been attacked twice on the way, leaving Primrose injured. Dwalin had written about how brave she had been both times, and how the others in the group teased her about her prowess with a frying pan in and out of the kitchen. She hoped Prim was doing okay; she still had nightmares about her own journey, wargs featuring heavily in various gruesome ends to her loved ones. Hobbits simply were not made to face danger like that.

…

Thorin did not relax until his sister came into view. She was seated on one of the wagons, an obvious hobbit seated next to her holding the pony's reigns and a hood drawn over her face. He wondered briefly why the hobbit would hide their face before ignoring it in favor of swinging his sister into a tight hug as she sprang down and ran to him with a happy cry, his nephews following behind. The hobbit nimbly leapt from the seat and greeted her cousin as another hobbit came around from the back also wearing a hood. Both hobbits embraced Bilba before each laying a hand on her slightly protruding abdomen. He could hear them speaking lowly before coming over to where he stood with Dis.

When Dis gave a laugh and turned him to face to two new hobbits fully he got a feeling in his gut that she was not the only one planning a surprise.

"Dear brother, may I introduce The Ladies Primrose and Peridot Took of The Shire." At her introduction the two lasses pulled off their hoods and gave a deep bow.

"At your service," they proclaimed before standing and giving him identical mischievous grins. He could hear Dwalin laughing as he stared. Hobbits really did come in pairs. He was suddenly glad Dwarves didn't have twins as he imagined what two Fili's or two Kili's would be like.

He had to clear his throat a few times before he found his voice. "Welcome to Erebor. Bilba and I are glad that you have come, and grieve that you were met with danger on the road. I hope you will enjoy your stay beneath the mountain."

Bilba laughed at him merrily as she linked arms with her cousins and led them into the mountain. "We will be holding a party of sorts tonight to welcome you. The whole company will be present. They are a lively group and I can't wait for you to meet everyone."

His nephews followed along, silent for once as they tried to process the idea of identical twins. One thing was for sure, the girls would be a novelty under the mountain for quite some time.

….

Author's Note

….

And Chapter two!


	3. Finding a One and Telling of Two

Ch. 3

Bilba was excited to have two of her favorite cousins with her. As much as she loves her dwarves, she had been missing her family. She took them on the long route back to the royal quarters through the market so she could give them a brief tour before letting them settle in.

The twins were astounded with Erebor. The mountain itself was huge, but the city inside was completely unexpected. Not that the girls had ever seen a dwarven settlement before, but this exceeded all expectations.

Bilba left the girls in a huge set of rooms, both looking around in awe. Bilba grinned as she pulled back a set of curtains, "this room has an excellent view of the valley, if you look down at night you can see the great lanterns that were placed along the bridge leading into the mountain. They light up the sides of the statues. It's quite a sight. I'm so glad the two of you decided to come, I can't tell you enough how relived I was when I heard you were on your way. You can imagine how nervous I've been since I found out about the babe."

Peridot giggled and Primrose gave Bilba a smirk. "You mean babies Bilba," Prim said, "You are most definitely having twins."

"….Twins!?" Bilba choked out before sitting in one of the wing backed chairs before the empty fireplace. "There….are two of them?"

"You okay Bilba?" Peri knelt in front of Bilba clasping her hands.

"Yes, I'm alright. Just a little shocked is all." She gave a bit of a hysterical laugh. "Twins. Oh how am I going to tell Thorin? He's already being overprotective; I can't imagine how he will be when I tell him there is more than one."

"Oh Bilba, Prim and I will be here with you the whole time. We know all about Hobbit pregnancies, and Lady Dis has offered her knowledge on dwarven pregnancies. You will be well cared for. Now, however, we would like to give you a good examination, you are so small you must be much closer to term for a dwarven pregnancy, but your carrying twins so everything is going to be slightly skewed."

Bilba was at term for a Hobbit pregnancy and still so tiny, but given how many seasons dwarrowdams carried they were not surprised. After the twins were through though they were not worried at all. "You're doing wonderful Bilba; everything seems to be in order." "We will continue to keep a close eye on you but you should be able to continue on with a normal routine. As long as you're not doing a lot of running up and down stairs you should be fine."

With a relieved sigh Bilba left the girls to settle in as she went to find Thorin, she might as well break the news as soon as possible.

…

If anyone were to ask Thorin his reaction to his wife's news he would forever deny fainting. Thorin did not faint; it was not how a royal reacted to news. Even if it was so shocking that it made his heart start to pound, and forget how to breathe, and his vision might have started to go spotty. But he did not faint!

Fili and Kili on the other hand had heard a thud and raced around the corner to see Bilba helping Thorin off of the floor. When questioned he spluttered something unintelligible about dwobbit twins and drug Bilba off down the hall and into their rooms. They gave each other confused looks before wondering off to find their mother.

Once in the safety of their own room, Thorin pulled Bilba onto a couch. "Twins? Are you sure?"

"Yes. The girls are never wrong. That was why they placed their hands on me when they first got here. As far as anyone in the Shire can understand, it's something only a few can do and it's only ever been passed down through the Tooks. They can sense these kinds of things in the earliest stages. I would have figured it out eventually, probably around the same time the gender would be revealed, but nowhere near as soon as they can."

"The gender? You mean you will know before they are born?"

"Oh yes. That is a trait all Hobbit mothers have. It helps us prepare. Is this not something dwarrowdam can do?"

"I have never heard of such a thing. We never knew with the boys. Statistically speaking they would have to be male; women are so few among us. I think Dis is always a little sad she never had a daughter. When…when will you know?"

"Oh…well I'm not sure. Usually not until the last couple of months before birth. Some only know a week ahead, others have been as far out as three months before. Since this is not a full Hobbit pregnancy there will be no way to know the exact dates for anything. The twins said they will be taking a look every day to observe my progress, I can ask them to tell me as soon as they know if they don't already."

He nodded thoughtfully, "Your cousins will be a blessing to this mountain I think. In more ways than assisting you. Do you think they would be willing to work in the healing wards?"

"I will ask then, but I think they would enjoy that."

With a nod and a small happy sigh Thorin leaned back into the soft cushions of the couch, pulling Bilba into his lap and into a warm embrace. So much had changed over the last year and was going to change even more in the coming months. He sent a quick thanks to Mahal for blessing him so.

…

Back in their rooms the twins were unpacking and settling in. The set of rooms included a large common area with sitting area with a fireplace the girls could stand in on one side and a decent sized kitchen was set up on the other with a table and chairs in between. There were several doors leading off into different rooms including two bedrooms both with attached washrooms and another room set up with shelves and a pair of writing desks.

For now the girls decided to share one of the bedrooms. Both were still a little nervous about being in the mountain. They put away what little they had carried in their bags, they would have to wait on the rest of their things to be brought up from the wagons. Each had brought a change of clothes and decided to bathe. There had not been many opportunities to get clean on the journey and both girls were more than ready to no longer smell like pony.

Peridot started laughing when they walked into the bathroom together. "It's a good thing we can swim Prim! It looks bigger than the little pond down the hill from grandfathers."

"Aye, let's not fill it up too much though. Wouldn't want you to trip and need saving like when you slid on that mud down into the pond."

"That was one time and I was pushed! That Cotton boy got mad because I wouldn't give him a kiss. "

"Well however it happened, you ended up in the pond with scum in your skirts. I think mother had to throw it out, couldn't even use it for rags!"

Laughing, they enjoyed their bath and all the strange smelling soaps laid out. Prim found one scented like lavender while Peri swore she found one that smelled like fresh turned earth.

It was after their baths and they had curled up to read, not wanting to get lost wondering around, when the rest of their things were delivered. The girls spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon unpacking and arranging what little they had brought throughout the rooms.

After skipping second breakfast the girls were starving come time for lunch. As the kitchen was not yet stocked they were going to have to leave in search of food.

With determination they grabbed their money and wondered out into the halls and attempted to retrace the path Bilba had brought them back to the market area.

…

After some helpless wondering, misunderstood directions and three wrong turns they finally found themselves at the center of the market. Well passed lunch time and ravenously hungry they searched for the first shop or stall selling food.

After only a few moments Prim spotted what looked like a tea shop situated proudly just off the market square a delicately carved sign hanging out front proclaiming it The Tilted Teacup. "What do you think Peri?"

"I think we need to eat before my stomach revolts."

Laughing they pushed through the door and into the fragrant shop and were greeted by a young dwarrowdam behind the counter.

"Welcome! How may I be of service to you today? Our special today is jasmine tea with a sweet side of your choice."

"Oh that sounds lovely," Prim said, "Do you recommend one of the sweets or are they all good?"

"Oh they all taste wonderful, but I highly recommend the mint fudge!"

"Mint fudge it is! And I think two of the strawberry cake, and two of that interesting looking pie."

"Of course! Please enjoy!"

The girls settled at a table by a window so they could watch the market as they snacked.

"We should have enough time if you want to ask after Master Rorin. That way we know where the lower halls are and can go visit him later. "

"I don't know Peri, after how lost we got just trying to find the market. It might be best if we wait on a guide. Or at least see if they have a map of this place, I swear it's like a maze!"

"Ugh! Yes. I just hope we can make it back to our room okay."

"Hmm…speaking of, we should probably start trying to find our way back."

"But first! We need to buy some things while here for the pantry. I don't like the idea of not having food on hand. Do you think they sell loose tea here? It's wonderful and it would be one thing off our list."

The tea shop did indeed sell canisters of tea, after buying several different mixes and getting directions to some of the best stalls the girls made their way into the market.

…

The way back was easier, only getting lost once on the return trip. Bilba was waiting for then at the door when they arrived giggling and loaded down with groceries.

"There you two are! I was afraid I would have to send out a search party." Bilba laughed when they arrived. "Dinner will be in about an hour if you two need to change. I can't stay, so I'll be sending someone to escort you to the dinning that we use when the company gets together. You will get to meet everyone and their families."

"I think I would like to put on a better dress, what about you Peri, going to dress a little nicer?"

"I guess I should wear something not so stained." She looked down at the suspicious stain on the bottom of her skirt. "I'm not even sure where it came from."

The twins had just enough time to put their new things away and change into something nicer when their escort knocked at the door.

Peridot ran to open the door as Primrose finished her braid.

The open door revealed a jolly looking dwarf with a funny winged hat and a grin that was all teeth framed by a dashing mustache, or at least Peri thought it was a dashing mustache.

"Well bless me," he declared as Prim joined her sister at the door, "Dwalin was telling the truth when he said you looked alike, or almost alike."

"Almost alike master dwarf?"

"Bofur miss," Bofur gave a bow, "At your service. And yes, almost alike. You've got a freckle next to you left eye." He pointed at said mark on Peridot.

Peridot's hand shot up to cover the mark as she looked at the dwarf in surprise. "You noticed? I don't think anyone has ever noticed that freckle before."

"Really? It twitched when you smiled." Bofur reached up and removed Peri's hand "It's cute.

Primrose felt a small zing come across the bond with her sister and looked to her in surprise as she stared at her hand still held in Bofur's.

"Th…thank you." Peri finally squeaked out as she slipped her hand out of his grip.

"Shall we go?" Prim cut in. She sent a soft inquiry across the bond and got reassurance in response and a promise that they would be discussing later. If the echo Prim felt was what she thought it was, Peri might have just found her match.

…..

Dinner that night was a lively affair with loud laughter and a few raunchy drinking songs that had Prim blushing bright red.

Prim was able to coral Bofur into talking about himself. She wanted to know what kind of person would match with her little sister. He seemed like a nice enough fellow. A miner and toymaker by trade, he was now in charge of the mines she remembered, and was able to secure a guide to the lower halls when she asked about visiting a dwarf they had met on the trip.

Peri remained quieter than usual during the meal, giving Bofur shy looks over the top of her mug. Knowing her cousin was usually the life of the party had Bilba giving her concerned looks.

When Bilba finally caught Prim's eye with a questioning head tilt, she got a hasty mouthed later in response. Nodding she returned to her meal, enjoying being surrounded by family by blood and by choice.

Before the night came to a close Thorin rose from his seat and drew everyone's attention. "I would like to welcome Bilba's cousins to the mountain as well as thank them for making the long journey out here to assist Bilba. I would also like to announce some news. When Primrose and Peridot Took arrived they gave use some shocking information about Bilba's pregnancy, Bilba and I have been greatly blessed by Mahal and his wife Yavanna, we are to have twins."

At Thorin's declaration everyone went silent in shock before sound erupted all at once.

"Twins!?"

"Is this a joke?"

"It's not possible!"

"Congratulations!"

The uproar of noise drug the gathering on longer into the night as everyone toasted the news and questioned the twins on how they knew.

Bilba and the twins ended up retiring well before the party ended, she drug the girls along into their room.

"Now what was all that during dinner? I've never seen you act like that Peridot. You're not sick are you?"

"No, not sick. But I do feel off"

"Bofur touched her hand!"

Bilba's turned to look at Primrose. "Her hand? And she felt something?

"I think so." Peri whispered as she held her hand close to her chest, the same one he had pulled away from her face. "He said I was cute."

"He could also tell us apart. He noticed her freckle right away. No one does that!"

"Oh Peri," Bilba pulled her into a hug, "I'm so happy for you. Bofur is a wonderful dwarf. If Thorin had not been my one I might have chased him myself." She grinned. "You will have to get used to the singing though, and the fact that nothing seems to bother him. I've never seen him without a smile."

"This means I'll never go back to the Shire." She glanced at Prim with a worried look.

"Don't you worry now. I'll not be leaving you behind. If you stay then so will I. Besides, we had not made plans to return."

"And Bofur will be traveling with his kin sometimes. His cousin Bifur has a trading caravan that travels to the Blue Mountains and stops in Bree on the way. I'm sure they will stop in the Shire if you go with them."

"I just don't know what to do Bilba. The last time a boy tried anything I punched him."

Bilba laughed. "He would probably find that attractive. He is a dwarf dear. Besides, I can promise that it will be different. You will want him to be sweet on you, just like I am with Thorin. You remember how horrible I was to all those lads that came calling on me don't you?"

"Aye, rolled one of them back down the hill! Don't worry Peri, Bilba and I will be here the whole time."

"Thank you. I feel so nervous. Like I'm all tied up inside."

"I'll find you a book on dwarf customs and courting. I'm sure there is one Ori can find for me in the library, or write one if not. Dwarf courting is very different than Hobbit courting. It involves lots of gift giving and items made by hand in their chosen craft. And you might have to initiate the courting. I'm sure he doesn't know how to proceed. And please tell him if something offends you! I can't tell you how many headaches Thorin and I could have avoided if we had bothered to explain differences. Would you believe he gave me orange lilies? He was so confused why I got mad."

The three Hobbits enjoyed a pot of tea and talked into the night about love and some of the differences between Hobbits and Dwarves. Come morning, Peridot Took felt she was going to be okay staying in the mountain. Her sister was here and had promised not to leave and they both had their favorite cousin to take care of. She hoped that Bofur had felt something as well and she was not stepping into something that could be one sided.

…

Bofur was sure he had found his One. There was no other way to explain the feeling when he laid eyes on the dainty lass when she opened the door. He had explained his telling the twins apart by the freckle, and while true, was not really how he could tell.

He could feel the difference. Her presence alone made his heart sing as an anvil struck. She made him feel lighter than when he had uncovered that silver vein back in the Blue Mountains. Merrier than if he had stayed up all night, drinking good Ale and singing lively tunes by a roaring winter fire. She was all things that made life exciting wrapped up in a tiny Hobbit lass with hair of spun gold and eyes the color of her namesake.

And he was completely lost on how to proceed.


	4. Time Flies

Ch. 4

Bofur held true to his word and took the girls to the lower halls to find their friend. He remembered Rorin well from the Blue Mountains. A good dwarf with a knack for finding rich ore veins, and he was currently giving Bofur a dirty look over the girls head after he had opened the door and the girls threw themselves into a group hug. He knew, Bofur wasn't sure how, but he knew.

The visit itself went well, the girls were happy to see their new friend settled well. An hour into the meeting Rorin confessed that he missed the girl's tea and would they be sweet lasses and run make some as he has no talent in the kitchen. With a smile the girls vanished into another part of the house leaving Bofur alone with a disgruntled looking greybeard.

"I came to think of those lasses as granddaughters during our travels. I'm not a fool lad, which one resonated with you?"

"….Peridot." Answered a little flabbergasted, "How did you know?"

"Oh lad, I remember the feeling well. You have the look about you. I was the same with my sweet Della."

"I did not know you were married."

"Aye, Lost her before settling in Ered Luin, my son I lost to a cave in."

"I grieve for your loss."

"Thank ye lad, it has been a long time. But I am not here to talk about my love. What are you going to do?"

"I…I don't know yet. I was hoping to speak with Thorin. He did have to court Bilba. Or maybe I could speak to Bilba herself? I know courting for Hobbit's involves flowers." Bofur felt lost. If Peridot had been a dwarf he would have just crafted her something, maybe out of something he found while down in the mines.

"The lass knows there will be differences, she's in a mountain half a world away from most of her own kin. I think she expects different. The best advice I can give you is to find a way to combine the two traditions were you can."

"So, something crafted into the shape of a flower?"

"Might be a good start."

The conversation on courting was cut a little short as the girls came back in with a pot of tea and mismatched cups, pulling them into a conversation on different types of teas found In the Shire. Bofur smiled and settled back to listen.

Starting any courtship, even with a dwarrowdam would be difficult, so courting a hobbit was almost groundbreaking territory and he would be lying if he claimed not to be nervous. After speaking with Rorin and the thought of speaking with Bilba and Thorin made him feel a little easier however. He would insure that everything went as perfect as could be.

…

Peridot and Bofur had been dancing around each other for over two months now. He refused to be alone with her, and tended to vanish the few times she managed to corner him. She was sick and tired of it. Hobbits tended to have very short courtships. They didn't see a point in dragging it out when you just knew that the other person was your match in every way.

To hear Bilba talk though, the dwarves had agonizingly long courtships; Thorin insisting on being as proper as he could while stuck on a journey and as limited as they were. She had apparently flustered him on more than one occasion with her forwardness.

Peridot felt that she was going to have to do something drastic if she wanted to snag her dwarf before Bilba's babies were not only born but reaching their majority. They had hardly even spoken outside of the dinners that the company held on a regular basis, he had not escorted them back to Rorin's home, they instead went with various other members of the company. While one such trip had led to an interesting argument between Dwalin and Nori, it was not what Peri wanted.

Bilba insisted that she didn't need to worry so much; Bofur was moving things along as fast as custom allowed him. He apparently spoke to Bilba often about courting habits and customs of Hobbits, the Tooks in particular. While this knowledge encouraged her she still fretted, she couldn't help it.

Her plan to move things along began half assed at best, she basically followed the poor dwarf anywhere she could, bumping into him at odd and almost inconvenient times. Once, she dropped something and picked it up slowly with a little more flair than strictly necessary. The strangled choking sound he had made at her cleavage display had been entirely worth it right before he disappeared again.

…..

Bofur was not sure how much longer he could hold out, he had still not completed his gift and had been trying to avoid her for a while now. A thing she was making impossible, showing up almost everywhere. He had been staying down in the mines longer and hiding out and Bifur's place, almost afraid she would show up at his home. His cousin kept laughing every time he came in flustered after an encounter.

He just needed a little more time. Bilba had made some wonderful suggestions, getting Ori to draw up some sketches to work from. The hard part had been finding the right metals and jewels to inlay in the carving. Bilba had been adamant that flower color could change the meaning of a gift and he would not risk any mistakes to his intent.

He had always heard about the pull of a One. Bombur was married and had several children with his own one. He had only been too happy to explain what finding her had felt like in hopes that Bofur would find the same one day.

Bofur had never expected to ever find his match. He was content to be the doting uncle to Bombur's horde of children, eight and counting, and living his life as a respected member of Thorin's company and one of the mine foremen. He had wealth and family and friends aplenty. Now, however, he had something else; something that he found more precious than all the gold in the mountain.

…..

During their fourth month in the mountain and Bilba's tenth month of her pregnancy, things got a little harder for Peridot to pursue the elusive Bofur. Bilba had to be put on bed rest. Her babies were simply growing too large for her to safely navigate the vast stone halls anymore, and since they couldn't be quite sure when she would have them, they all thought it for the best.

Due to this the girls had to stick much closer to Bilba; the twin's cousin was miserable and kept letting out some creative curses in hobbitish that thankfully Thorin could not understand when she was again not allowed to leave her room.

He did however get the gist of them from her tone of voice and the twins continued raised eyebrows and giggling. Thankfully he was a doting husband, if bordering on hovering and driving Bilba a little crazy.

To help pass the time Peridot took to reading by the fire in Bilba's sitting room. She had been loaned several books from the library on dwarrow culture and was fascinated, if not a little worried. Other than healing, she really didn't have a craft and had no idea what to give Bofur as a courting gift. Maybe she could cook something? She was so deep into fretting it took a while to realize Prim was laughing at her through the link. After fussing back and forth for a while Primrose reminded her that she was not only a healer but an accomplished weaver as well, so why not make him a wall hanging or something and call it a day. Peridot sat and felt stupid for another hour before finally rising and asking Bilba if she could get a loom.

…

It was as Bilba was starting her eleventh month that Peridot finally saw an opportunity and took it, blaming it entirely on her wild Tookish nature and desire to be closer to the one she recognized as her match.

The girls had found a moment after Thorin took a day off to spend with Bilba and gone down to visit their friend Rorin in the lower halls, Dwalin even accompanying them. On the return trip to their rooms they made a detour through the markets, Primrose mumbling something about needing tea as Peridot spied Bofur standing in front of a shop across the way.

After making some thin excuses to Primrose and Dwalin about wanting new fabric and not to wait up she made her way across the market.

Bofur turned just as she reached his side, looking thrilled if nervous to see her.

Before he could even get in a greeting she had snagged him by the arm and pulled him into a tavern, taking a seat at a table in a corner and ordering ale for the both of them.

"And what do I own the pleasure of your company **mim'ibin**?" Bofur finally spoke up sometime after their drinks had been sat on the table, still looking a little shocked at her forwardness.

"I know this has been hard on the both of us," Peri started, "and I know that customs call for different things in our respective cultures," she drug her eyes away from the mostly empty tankard and looked him straight in the eye, "Bilba told me you are making a gift, and I know that takes time, I'm making you one as well, I understand. But hobbits are not used to waiting like this, and all this dancing around is honestly driving me crazy. So if you don't kiss me now you silly dwarf I might be persuaded to a very unhobbit like display of violence."

Tossing a handful of coins on the table Bofur rose, surprising Peridot when he pulled her up and out of the tavern, into a small alleyway between the two shops, lifted her up against one of the walls and began kissing her senseless. Peridot felt her toes curl as she tugged at his mustache; and knew it would be a while before she made it home when she let one of his hands work its way under her skirt.

…

Several hours later saw Peridot practically floating through the door to the rooms she shared with her sister.

Primrose was curled up in her favorite chair in front of the fire with a steaming cup of tea. "Well, it's about time you got back. You find the fabric you wanted?"

"Hmm? Fabric? Oh! No, I didn't. I might have to go back tomorrow." Peri began to wonder off towards the bath before being stopped again by her sister.

"Next time, I would appreciate it if you shut the link down before shouting at me about how wonderful your relationship is. I really didn't need to know how skilled Bofur's hands are."

Blushing scarlet Peridot ran into the bathing room, slamming the door behind her as Primrose's laugh echoed. "Don't worry little sister, I won't tell anyone. But you might want to cool it down a little before you get into trouble. You know, go out for tea or something."

…..

At the end of the eleventh month, a very nervous Bofur was found speaking to Thorin and Bilba. He had finished his gift at last and was eager to give it. They could finally make their relationship official, instead of stolen kisses in dim hallways and empty rooms.

The twins walked in together, as they usually did with everything, Peridot separating from her sister who went to stand beside Bilba and joined Bofur in the center of the room.

She looked at him expectantly while eyeing the carefully wrapped parcel he held.

It took a few tries before he could get his throat cleared to speak. "Peridot Took of the Shire, I have asked you before these witnesses to present a gift and an offer of courtship." Words finally out he offered up the parcel, Peridot taking it gently in both hands before removing the wrap.

Inside was a beautiful plaque with delicately carved flowers, each represented with brightly polished stones expertly inlayed into the wood. She softly traced her finger along red tulips and roses set with garnets and rubies, and delicate yellow Yarrow in golden beryl, all surrounded with vines of yellow sapphire honeysuckle.

"Oh Bofur," Peri whispered, "It's beautiful."

She admired it for a moment before Thorin cleared his throat, capturing the attention in the room. "As is custom, the gift of courting has been presented, does the lady accept the gift and the offer?"

"Oh! Yes, I find the gift most acceptable and accept it and the offered courtship."

With a bright smile Bofur swoops in for a kiss, much to the amusement of Primrose as she observes the reactions of those in the room. There were several raised eyebrows as well as some good natured laughter.

She conceded that the gift was very beautiful, and he had done well in choosing the flowers, all with varying meanings of love. Yavanna had given her sister a wonderful match.

She couldn't help but smile brightly as the happiness Peridot was feeling bleed through their link. She felt tears gather in her eyes from the overwelling love as she watched Bofur braid off a section of hair, adding a finely carved bead.

…..

Bilba had now been pregnant for a full year and she was more than ready to meet her babies. The girls continued to keep her company, with Oin stopping by twice a day to check in. While Bilba grew more uncomfortable, the babies gave no indication that they were ready to join them.

Another month gone and Durin's Day had come around once again and the mountain was in full celebration. The feast had lasted for a week, with Dwarrow from all over making the journey to the mountain to celebrate the reclaiming of Erebor and the return of Thorin to the throne.

The twins were excited at attending the celebrations. They both agreed that dwarrow threw fine parties. The alcohol flowed freely and the tables groaned under the weight of the food. The mountain had made monuments strides in their recovery, the wealth flowing out the gates as promised.

The girls had not been the only thing to come to the mountain; they had accompanied seed stock from the Shire, a gift from the Thain to one of his beloved granddaughters. The valley from the mountain to the Long Lake flourished and the harvest had been bountiful.

It was as the celebrations were coming to a close that the weather turned, an early snow turning into a raging blizzard; locking the roads in mounds of snow and ice. The roadway to Dale had been kept clear but all other routes were blocked.

Dwarves from all the kingdoms were found stuck in the mountain, though, non-complained over much, all anticipating the birth of the new royal children.

When they had found out about her majesty expecting twins, an impromptu feast began in celebration. Many began to view Hobbit's in an appreciative way. Some thought that they could be the answer to the problem of a dwindling population.

It was one such dwarrow from the Ironfist clan that began to follow the twins when they ventured around the mountain. While distrustful of any outside of his own race, this dwarrow could not deny the fact that their new queen was pregnant with the first set of twins ever to be given by Mahal, and hobbits are a creation of the maker's wife.

With these thoughts in mind, a plan began to form.

….

Author's Note

…..

I officially hate numbers. Dates in particular. I had to do way too much counting to make sure I had my times of the year were right. For some reason I wanted to stick Durin's Day around what would be Yule and had to keep stopping myself.

I feel like it's moving a little fast. Does the pacing feel oaky?

Okay. I need sleep now.

Huge amounts of love for those that are still around and reading.


	5. Perspective

Ch.5

Bifur thought that his cousin dashing through the door, red faced and stuttering had to be one of the funniest things he had seen in a long while. Bofur had explained to him and Bombur what had happened that night when they met Bilba's twin cousins for the first time. There had been so many surprises that day. The Valar gifting the royal family with the first set of twins in dwarrow history, Bofur finally meeting his One; not to mention that pretty lass from the Iron Hills agreeing to take a walk about with him. A good night indeed. Now if only Bofur would quit stuttering about the lass and her curves and how inappropriate he felt and get a move on her gift, things would run much smoother. He made sure to say as much before taking his leave. The lady had agreed to meet him in one of the hanging gardens overlooking the valley and it would not pay to be late.

….

Rorin had grown quite fond of the two hobbit lasses on the journey to the mountain. He found both to be intelligent and learned in their healing craft. The eldest, Primrose, he learned was the quieter of the two. While still mischievous, a Took trait they said, she exuded a calming aura that reassured any she spent time around. She was also observant, having noticed his joint stiffness and pains early on and brewed a marvelous tea to ease it away after a long day of riding.

When the group was first attacked on the road, he witnessed the vicious and protective side of the girls. Peridot had stood beside him in defense of the children they had been entertaining while the eldest, wielding nothing but a pan, fought her way to her twins side, driven by a need to protect.

Though unskilled with a weapon, she wielded it with a determination that was to be admired. A wild haired and bloodied warrior taking the legs right out from under the would be bandits before cracking them over the head. Not that any would tell her after the fact, but at least two of the men had died by her hand. Lord Dwalin had explained that it would not be something the gentle folk of the Shire would celebrate. Several of the group had complained that the lass was a bloodied warrior now with her first kill and needed a proper bead. Rorin quipped that they didn't even have a design for wielding frying pans, Dwalin's snort was enough to calm everyone down.

Where he thought of Primrose as the warm crackling embers of a hearth fire, her little twin Peridot was the roar of a forges flame. She was always bright and excited, racing through the group and starting up conversations with any who would listen as her elder sister trailed in her wake. She had approached him first, asking about the stones of the few rings he still wore and asking if the stones held any particular meaning; what had followed had been an hours long conversation on flowers and gemstones and what they all meant.

She was also skilled a healer, he had roared with laughter with the company when she stitched up the lad unfortunate enough to get hurt after the fight with the bandits. She had set upon him before any knew she was even there, cleaning and closing the wound with a practiced hand, growing defer than Master Oin when the youngster howled his protests at the treatment.

It was late in the night after the first attack that he witnessed her softer side. He had been settling back down after finishing a watch when he had been startled by a muffled shout. He was half out of his blanket with axe in hand before he noticed Peridot seated beside her sister. She had a hand smoothing over her brow and playing with her hair as she hummed a soft tune, easing her elder twin out of the nightmares grip and into sweeter dreams without waking her. He had caught Dwalin's eyes gleaming in the firelight, both were in mirrored poses, axes half raised to meet a threat. Dwalin nodded once before they both settled back into bedrolls and into sleep. The following days he kept the younglings occupied so they did not wake Peridot after she crawled into the back of a wagon to catch up on sleep.

When the wargs had attacked, he nearly wept in relief when he and Peridot had found Primrose, injured and shaken, but alive. He had gladly taken up guarding the twins as they recovered from the attack. Like all the others, he had been shocked to learn of their connection; it made sense to him though, that two so alike would forever be together in mind. The loss of the connection had shaken both of them more than the beasts and he stayed with them in the wagon as they clung to each other, reassured by the others presence.

Rorin sighed in relief as the dim light under the mountain welcomed him home. It had been many long years since he had fled the dragon, and now the wondering days were passed and the King had returned the mountain to its people. He wished with all his heart that his sweet wife and son could be with him in this moment, but resolved to be happy and live for the days that would come and do his part in restoring the mountain Kingdome to the glory he remembered. The girls came and found him once more before being led away by their cousin and his new queen. They swore to find him in the lower halls and visit as soon as they were able. He only hoped that that would be sooner rather than later. He found himself missing their bright company already.

When Rorin opened his door that morning, he was pleased to be greeted with a double armful of two bright lasses attempting to squeeze the life out of him. He almost didn't notice the lad standing behind them worrying his hat, almost. As soon as Rorin made eye contact with Bofur of the girls heads he knew the lad had matched with one of the girls.

Peridot, the bright flame, they would be a good match.

….

The thief watched the procession into the mountain with a half-smile pulling at his face, Ori would be excited that Dwalin was back in the mountain, he resolved to go bother the guard later, maybe break into his rooms for kicks and giggles.

He kept watch over his friends as they welcomed Bilba's cousin into the mountain, always on alert for danger to the royal family. Every time someone entered the mountain it was his job to check in on any dangers that might come with them. The only danger he saw in the two girls was headaches for other member of the company and hours of amusement for himself. He remembered Bilba saying they were related on her mother's side, Tooks she had called them, laughing as she spun stories of what she and all her Took relations had gotten up to in the Shire; thieving pie off of windowsills and such. He grinned as he slipped back into the shadows and made his way back to his family's home. Maybe Dori would be home instead of holed up in his tea shop.

The girls had been as entertaining as he thought they would be when he met them for the first time at the dinner held for the company and family the girls first night in the mountain. He was pleased to learn that they had already found his brothers shop, not that they knew at the time, but sung it's praises as Dori grew red from pleasure and embarrassment.

What he had not been expecting was Bofur's reaction to the girls, or rather one of the twins in particular. They both kept eying each other when they thought no one was looking. Bofur was one of his oldest friends and they had been drinking partners for years, so he was quick to corner him after the meal and figure out what was going on.

"Your one?" Nori was genuinely shocked, "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I'm standing Nori! I felt it as soon as I looked her in the eye." He covered his face with his hand, ears starting to go pink, "What am I going to do? She's so little and I can tell she's sweeter than Bombur's butter cakes."

Nori raised his braded eyebrows as his friend rambled on, "What do you mean you don't know what to do? Court the lass! What else would you do?"

"But what is I mess something up?"

"I highly doubt that. You could charm the metal from the mountain with a smile Bofur, I'm sure the lass will agree to a courtship."

"You think so?" Bofur looked hopefully at Nori.

"I'm sure of it, all you need do is ask."

Nori sighed when Bofur groaned again before he drug his friend off to one of the pubs they liked to frequent. Looked like all this dwarf needed was a night out to get his courage back.

After his pep talk, Nori shoved Bofur Ori's way. If a book would ever be helpful to his friend it would be now. Nori left him in capable hands before going to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes, annoy Dori at The Tilted Teacup.

It was at the shop several weeks later that he met one of the twins for the second time, the eldest, Primrose, came in with Dwalin trailing behind. Nori had been sitting behind the counter pilfering through a box of assorted teas when they came in.

He grinned madly when he saw Dwalin scowl in his direction.

"Oh! Hello again Master Nori. Do you work here?"

"Nay lass, this is my brothers shop, I was stopping by to steal tea." He held up the box.

She laughed loudly at his declaration causing him to freeze. Her laugh had sounded like a bell chiming deep in the mountain halls. He knew he must have been making a face because Dwalin's face had gone from scowling to surprise in a matter of seconds before a satisfied smirk settled on his lips.

Nori quickly rose from behind the counter and made his way to the older twin. "Many in this box are excellent choices for a quiet night at home alone, or with someone you might hold close." He held the box out for her, making sure to brush his hands across hers as she took it. He felt a satisfied thrill in his chest when she gave him a startled look at the contact, mouth slackening in surprise. He stepped back and bowed deeply before taking his leave. Looks like Bofur would not be the only one needing to read a good book.

…..

Thorin was deeply satisfied with how his life had turned out. It had been rough after the dragon; losing his home and then most of his family to time and war. The journey to reclaim the mountain had been a fools mission, he had known that from the start. No one in their right mind would seek to steal from a dragon, yet he had been desperate.

When the green door had opened to reveal the curly headed lass that would be his burglar he had almost called off the whole thing. How could he put his One is such danger. When she had refused he had been relieved. If he survived this he would return to the Shire and court her properly if she would accept. When she had come racing after them he had felt fear for her safety and pride in her bravery. But he had not been kind to her in the beginning, too afraid to get close. Something he regretted.

It had all turned out in the end. After more close calls than his heart could take and his own battle with the curse of his line they had pulled through. His burglar had helped reclaim the mountain and agreed to stay with him as his queen.

Now their family was growing, not by the one they thought but by two. He was still astounded at the fertility of hobbits. Her cousins had just laughed and called him a silly dwarf making him scowl and them laugh harder. Bilba had just smiled from her place on the chair.

The girls we truly a marvel. Coming by every day to see about their favorite cousin as they called her. They had admonished her in the beginning about not inviting them along and then ringing every detail of the journey out of her. He found them a joy to be around, grinning as they told stories of past escapades, outing Bilba as a truly gifted pie thief back in her tweens. He made sure to tease Bilba about it the days following.

When Bilba had spoken to him about Bofur Thorin had been surprised. It made sense the more the thought about it, why would more hobbit and Dwarrow not be matched as Ones? Their creators were married. He had a feeling Mahal was laughing at him after the revelation, the answer to most of the dwarrows problems had been in the Shire all these years and no one thought to even go and have a look around. Maybe he could get some sort of trade agreement going with the Shire after the children were born.

…..

Fili could be found most mornings in his mother's rooms sharing laughter over breakfast. He would not lie if asked how much he missed her. He and Kili had never been away for so long and he had felt her absence keenly.

When they had parted ways what felt like forever ago he had felt a sliver of fear that he would never see her again. When he had been injured in the battle he had been sure. He had been overly surprised when he had woken in the healers tent alongside Kili and his Uncle Thorin, all in a bad way and hurting. He had broken his leg, badly Oin had said, no one had been sure he would be able to walk without assistance again. He managed though, keeping still in those first few months as he healed and wrote letters back home to his mother.

By the time Thorin and Bilba had married he could walk with a cane, standing proud at his uncles side as they said their vows.

When he found out he was to get a new cousin he had healed enough to no longer need the cane, though he would most likely limp for the rest of his life. This fact did not slow Dwalin down in the least when training, only taking advantage of the injury so Fili would learn to fight with it, that others might not get the chance.

When Bilba's cousins had arrived at the mountain he only ached if he walked too much around the mountain, so he made sure to take breaks where he could; finding literally hundreds of places throughout Erebor that made excellent seats. It was as he sat in a more secluded spot, watching the dwarrow snowed in the mountain after Durins Day that he first noticed the Twins shadow. An older looking Ironfist was keeping close to the girls, giving too much attention from his half hidden spot across the market. Worried about what could develop from such attentions Fili rose and made his way out of the market square to find Nori. Ironfist dwarves were not known to tolerate those outside of their own people; so if anyone could find out the strange dwarrows purpose it would be the company thief. The girls were safe for now with Dwalin trailing behind them, Fili wanted to make sure that they stayed that way. They were family now after all.


	6. Thief of my Heart

Ch. 6

Primrose was flustered; yes that was the word for it. She wasn't frustrated or nervous; she was flustered, and it was that roguish looking dwarrow that kept popping up everywhere that was making her that was. Peridot had not even noticed; finding her one had drawn all of her focus away from what was going on around her.

Prim missed her sister though. She wanted advice, tips, anything. The dwarrow, Nori, seemed intent on catching her eye. She had not paid much attention to the company when they all met that first time; she had been intent on grilling Bofur instead of getting to know anyone else.

When she met Nori the second time, it was when he had popped up while Dwalin was taking them to the lower halls. They had argued about Nori's little brother for a time before he had taken off again, not even sparing the girls a glance.

It was at their third meeting things changed, he had stepped closer than necessary to hand off his box of stolen teas and made sure to brush his fingers along her own before stepping back and making his way out the door as she stood in surprise.

She knew there had been something there. Dwalin had stared at her for a while before leaving money on the counter for Dori to find and leading her out and back into the hall that held the sisters rooms.

"Never thought Nori would match with one of ya."

Prim looked at him questioningly.

"Do you know who he is lass? What he does for Thorin?"

After shaking her head no, Dwalin sighed as he led her on. "He used to be a thief, before the company. Now, however, he works for Thorin. Oh I'm sure he still does his thieving on the side, even though he no longer has the need. But he has the ability to find out all sorts of interesting things that happen in the mountain, if you take my meaning. Right rouge and scoundrel, but you will find no other with such a good heart. He looks after those he cares about."

Prim nodded. He was a spy then, and it sounded like a good one. She really had jumped in feet first this time. How did the saying go again? Fool of a Took?

Dwalin left her to her thoughts the rest of the way back, even gave a sympathetic look and a pat on the shoulder before leaving her at the door to the room she and Peri shared.

Primrose had taken up a spot before the fireplace on the great fur rug, still clutching the box of teas; she blushed fiercely when she recalled his words about them all being good for time alone with someone close. Would he want to share tea with her? Had he felt the same thing she did?

She dithered in the same spot for several moments until an alarming feeling came flying across the bond with her sister. Primrose felt her face flushing when she realized what her sister had broken away from her and Dwalin for. It seems she had finally cornered her dwarf.

In an effort to distract herself, Prim fixed a large pot of water so that she could try some of her new teas.

Blushing furiously as she made her way through several cups, Primroses thoughts continuously circling around the new feeling from the skin on skin contact with Nori and if he would ever be interested in something like what her sister was doing.

Several hours later Peridot pranced back through their door, cheeks flushed and a huge grin on her face.

Primrose had been relieved when she had felt her sister break away from Bofur and make her way back to their rooms. She couldn't help but ask about the fabric she was supposed to be looking for.

"Hmm? Fabric? Oh! No, I didn't. I might have to go back tomorrow." Peri began to wonder off towards the bath before being stopped again by her sister.

"Next time, I would appreciate it if you shut the link down before shouting at me about how wonderful your relationship is. I really didn't need to know how skilled Bofur's hands are."

Blushing scarlet Peridot ran into the bathing room, slamming the door behind her as Primrose's laugh echoed. "Don't worry little sister, I won't tell anyone. But you might want to cool it down a little before you get into trouble. You know, go out for tea or something."

Primrose took a slow sip from the mint tea she held, all thoughts turning back to a cheeky dwarf handing her a box of tea. She grinned as she felt Peridot dim the link between them until it was just a muffled hum in the back of her head instead of the almost constant stream of unintelligible chatter.

Maybe he would be at the shop again if she went back, he did say it was his brother's shop. Prim felt her face heating up at the thought of seeing Nori again. Go out for tea indeed.

….

In the weeks following their meeting in the tea shop, Nori seemed to turn up almost everywhere Primrose went. She was surprised at first, that he would seek her out at all. He began walking with the girls down to the lower halls, pissing Dwalin off every time he talked about his younger brother meeting some new dwarrow in the library before slipping away before Dwalin got mad enough to try and hit him, but not before giving Primrose a grin and a wink.

Prim began to frequent The Tilted Teacup whenever the girls were free from their duties to their cousin in the hopes of catching Nori again. Not that she knew what she would do if she did see him. So far all their interactions had involved brief exchanges of greetings in the halls and listening in on the arguments between him and Dwalin. Never had they been alone.

It was on her fifth such visit to the shop that she finally found her rouge.

Primrose had been slowly spinning her cup around, an apple crumble left untouched on a small plate to her right when the chair across from her was pulled out and a dwarf sat down heavily in it, startling her out of her thoughts.

Across the table sat Nori, elbows on the table and hands laced together in front of his intricately bearded chin. His eyes were intent on her face as she studied him.

Prim could feel her face heating up under his gaze.

"Well lass, you found me. Now what will you do?"

Prim sucked in a quick breath as his voice rattled all the way to her bones. Oh sweet green lady why could she not be as brave as Peridot?

Prim could see his smirk behind his hands as she took a few tries to clear her throat. "I was hoping you might join me for a cup of tea."

He hummed as if in thought. "Tea does sound nice."

Nori had risen to go grab a cup when Prim rose from the table as well, surprising him. He looked at her questioningly.

"Not here." Prim watched as Nori's eyebrows shot up to his hair line. "Lass?"

"I…um…I hoped, if you are agreeable to it that is, that you could join me for tea…in my sitting room. Peridot won't be back for a few hours and I still have some left from the box you gave me."

As Nori stood and studied her Prim felt the blush returning to take over her face, she just had to go and open her mouth and be incredibly forward. Her thought kept going back to Bilba and how Thorin had almost been scandalized by how forward she had been.

Before she could rethink everything and back out, she felt Nori's hand reach out and take her own, gently tugging her out the door and back to the residential parts of the mountain.

"Aye Lady Took, I think that would be acceptable."

Prim quickly looked up. Lady Took? That was a first. "Primrose, or just Prim. Please. I'm no lady."

"But you are. Lady Primrose Took." He stopped and slowly brought their joined hands to his lips, giving her hand a chaste kiss. "If you are agreeable, I would call you my own lady, and shower you with all the riches you could ever desire." His eyes had turned dark, holding her own fast in a heated gaze that made her flush from her furry toes all the way to the tips of her pointed ears. If this kept going she felt she would pass out from the blushing alone.

"Oh…" she felt completely lost for words again. It was unfair what he was doing to her. She just couldn't think strait around him.

He smirked at her again before turning, placing her hand in the crook of his elbow before leading her on.

If he kept looking at her like that she might just take a page out of Peridot's book. Primrose was most definitely looking forward to tea time.

…..

Nori decided that Primrose Took was adorable, and Dori was going to kill him. No, not just kill him, maul him more like. He had never been one to hold close to propriety or tradition of any kind. He was a thief after all. But he had wanted to at least try, a little, maybe.

Her she was though, inviting him to her room, for tea of all things. He thought his heart had stopped when she first suggested it. How perfectly indecent! How wonderful.

Now he knew why Bofur kept falling all over himself. Here he was, practically proposing to the lass and not even braded a courting bead in her hair. What a fine mess he was making of everything.

The tea had been fun. He behaved, though he didn't want to, and stayed in his seat. He allowed himself one caress of her hand as they sat facing each other at the small table beside the kitchen.

She had pulled her sleeves up as she puttered around, searching out biscuits and sweets she thought might tempt.

She had sat a steaming pot on the table before taking her own seat when he noticed the scar running across the top of her right arm and ending in a jagged line on the top of her hand. She had been saying something when he had reached out and touched it lightly with one finger, causing her to suck in a breath as the sparks ignited at the touch, as they seemed to do any time they touched skin on skin.

"Dwalin told everyone what happened on your journey to the mountain. Was this the mark from the warg?" He let his finger trace the pink line up her arm to where it disappeared under the sleeve.

"Yes," Prim said almost in a whisper, "I hit the beast as it was coming down on top of me. Lady Dis killed it shortly after."

He continued to rub the scar, proud of how she had faced down the danger. He thought of the perfect gift for her.

"If I was to teach you, would you be willing to learn throwing knives?"

Confused by the seemingly random subject change, Prim nodded before replying, "I could see it being a useful skill to have."

They ended up not drinking the tea. Seated across each other and speaking about anything that came to mind. He had continued to run his fingers and hand over the scar, both speaking lowly about family and silly things they enjoyed when not busy with work.

Primrose told him about the shire and growing up in the great Took Smial with her sister and their older brothers. She also told him about the special bond they shared and they both laughed when she revealed what she had felt with Peridot and Bofur through the link.

They both laughed over past exploits, hers all involving pies and produce his involving things with a little more monetary value and running away from Dwalin.

"Is that why you harass him so? He used to put you in jain?"

"Part of the reason I guess." He laughed. "We built a strange friendship of sorts. He knew I was a thief but as honest as I could be about it. I began hearing things around the mountain and would tip him off. He didn't like to admit it but I know he was thankful on a couple of occasions."

"Oh really?"

"Aye, I uncovered a plot against the Lady Dis while she still carried Kili. I had been in the middle of a job at the time but left it to go to Dwalin. I couldn't just walk up and start a conversation though. He knew something was up when I stole right in front of him and simply walked off instead of running for my life. They ended up catching the ones behind it, but it got tense for a while. I had to make myself scarce for several years after."

"Oh. It all sounds very exciting."

"Now I just like to annoy him. We spare sometimes, for old times' sake. If the idiot ever gets a move on he will probably be family at some point."

"Ori?"

He nodded. "Ori, the truly gifted one of the family. We all knew as soon as he came of age. Not sure why he's still dragging his feet though."

"An what does your brother think about it?"

"Which one? Dori would be thrilled if the courtship took a lifetime. Ori is still buried in his books and won't be moved anytime soon. I keep telling the great troll to ask already."

Prim giggled. Nori really did love his family, she was glad. The last idiot in the Shire that had tried anything had kept trying to temp her saying that she could finally leave the Tookish nonsenses behind and be proper. She remembered slapping him before slamming the great round door in his pimply face.

Nori finally rose to leave when Prim felt Peridot heading back to their rooms. "I don't know when I can leave again. Bilba has not been feeling the best. Peri and I are afraid she will have to be confined soon."

"There are really two babies then?"

"Oh yes, without a doubt. Both seem strong and on track as far as we can tell. I can't wait to meet them! We were always so worried about Bilba being alone like she was. You have no idea how thankful my sister and I are that your company came along when it did. Now she has a family all her own."

Nori felt his heart skip again when she smiled while speaking about Bilba and her babies. Sweet maker he couldn't take it anymore. Nori stepped away from the door, his right hand wrapping around her own, his left hand going behind her head as he tugged her close and up and into a kiss. He nearly groaned when he felt her free hand curl around one of his beard braids and pull as she moved his head slightly so they were no longer bumping noses.

When they finally broke apart he was proud to see her breathless as her eyes slowly drifted back open. He stood back a little and tried to catch his own breath.

"You don't have to keep coming back to the shop. I will find you."

With another quick peck on her lips Nori slipped out the door and back home. He had a courting to gift to make after all.

…

It was not until after Bofur and Peridot had made their courtship official that Primrose and Nori came forward about their feelings for one another. Dwalin had kept silent about the whole thing, feeling that it was none of his business.

Nori had approached Thorin and Bilba a week before Durins day, receiving their enthusiastic albite surprised blessing. Bilba was cross at Primrose for several weeks after for not saying anything about the whole thing.

With excitement Primrose entered into the same room Bofur had asked Peri and made her way to stand before Nori.

"Primrose Took of the Shire, I have asked you before these witnesses to present a gift and an offer of courtship."

From somewhere he managed to produce a decent sized wooden box. Beautify carved with Gladiolus and nasturtiums. She gently ran a finger of one of the flowers before opening the box to reveal a set of throwing knives, each knife resting in a tooled leather sheath.

"You did say you would let me show you how to use them."

Primrose smiled up at Nori, the flower pattern from the box was repeated in the leather, all symbols for strength.

Both looked over to Thorin, who simply grinned before repeating the same words he had only a couple of weeks earlier. "As is custom, the gift of courting has been presented, does the lady accept the gift and the offer?"

"Yes," Prim smiled and looked back to Nori. "I accept both, and gladly."

Nori thought he might have heard Dori sniffling in the background as he pulled Prim to him for a kiss, his right hand once again wrapping around her own, his thumb brushing across her scar. Never again would he let something mark her like the warg had.

…

Nori was surprised at first when Fili approached him. They had grown a rapport after the mission to reclaim Erebor, as all the company had, but they had never sought each other out before.

He felt an angry scowl crawl across his face when Fili told him of the Ironfist dwarrow watching the girls. His One. His and no others. He thanked the lad for the heads up, asking him to keep an eye out if he found himself out again before turning to the lower halls.

He needed information first. Most of his contacts from the Blue Mountains had stayed behind, but some had come, and he was going to be in need of any and all resources if he was to protect the girls.

An Ironfist didn't watch someone like that unless they had something in mind. A secretive and highly distrustful clan they had caused problems with Nori before on a few jobs he had pulled while away from home.

It had been a group of Ironfists that had plotted against Dis. Thorin would have to be warned.

With a new steely determination Nori turned down a darkened corridor towards one of the pubs most of the miners frequented. He was going to have to place several pairs of ears out for information. The girl's friend Rorin would be a good place to start; he could move around crowds Nori was not welcome.


	7. Babies Make a Fool of a Took

Ch. 7

Peridot felt guilty over her sister Primrose, she had been so caught up in finding her match and pushing Bofur into a relationship. She had missed what was going on around her. Prim had found love! And like the terrible sister she was, she had not even noticed.

Peri shuffled into their sitting room after the courting ceremony between Prim and Nori, slipping onto the floor next to her in front of the fireplace.

Prim grinned of at her sister before pouring her a cup of tea.

"I'm sorry Prim."

"Sorry? For what?"

"I haven't been here for you. You've been going about it all by yourself and I couldn't even be bothered to notice you had found someone."

"Oh Peri. You were a little distracted."

Peri flushed at the implications. "Well, you know…"

"Do I? I can say that all Nori and I have done is kiss. Though he does like to hold my hand."

Prim grinned as she heard Peri huff next to her. "You mean all you've done so far. There are plenty of dim corridors in the mountain."

"Aye, and I'm sure he knows all of them!" She laughed, "Oh Peridot, I'm not like you. Even just the thought of doing something … intimate…with Nori, sends me flushing bright red."

"Oh?" Peri grinned at her sister, "But you have thought of it."

"Peri!"

The twins laughter carried out into the hall, causing Thorin and Bilba to smile as they walked by, both heading back to their own rooms for some much needed rest.

…

Everyone was glad when the Durin's Day celebrations had come to an end. A week of feasting and general bedlam was quite enough, even for Dwarves. Thorin sighed in relief when his schedule settled back into the now familiar rhythm of court and attempting to hold in his temper while dignitaries and various representatives spoke for hours about nothing at all.

It was almost with relief when Nori had appeared in the throne room, standing off in the back to one side so that Thorin would see him. Thorin gave a small nod that had, Nori nodded back before vanishing again. Thorin knew he would be waiting when court ended. He had a feeling that he would not enjoy the news.

Thorin had been right. The new was bad indeed. An Ironfist watching Bilba's cousins. He would need to set someone to guard them when they were outside of the royal halls. Maybe Kili? He had been chaffing for something to do since the snows had blocked messages from Mirkwood. Thorin still winced when he thought of the tall red headed elf.

Defiantly Kili then, maybe he would quit mooning about the mountain.

Thoughts of Kili and the twins fled as soon as he opened the door to his and Bilba's rooms and saw her asleep before the fire. She constantly complained about how cold the mountain seemed to get, he had assured her that as soon as the great forges were put back into use the mountain would stay warm, thought it might take a good many years. The dragon had done quite a lot of damage.

Kneeling next to the chair she had curled herself into, Thorin let one hand caress the great swell of her belly. He continuously thanked Mahal for bringing this small, amazing woman to him and all that she had given to him. He had never hoped to be a father, helping raise his nephews as if they would be his only chance of rearing a youngling.

Now he would have two of his own. He leaned forward and rested his head on her stomach as he felt his children move about. His children! He murmured lowly to them in Khuzdul when he felt a limb push against him.

Thorin started when he felt fingers comb through his hair, looking up to see Bilba looking down at him with a sleepy smile. "You're back early."

"I'm sorry I woke you. Nori came to court today."

"Nori? What in the world for?"

"Fili came to him a few nights ago. There has been a dwarrow watching Primrose and Peridot. They don't think he has the best of intentions for the girls."

Bilba looked at his concerned. "What can be done?"

"For now? Not much. We will keep a close watch on the girls and any dwarrow new to the mountain. I'll be speaking to Kili in the morning. I'll have him join Dwalin in watching the girls when they leave the halls."

Bilba nodded as she listened. I hope this does not spell trouble for us. It is the last thing we need right now. She gave a startled grunt as she received a particularly vicious kick. "I will be glad when these little ones make their appearance. I'm quite over being pregnant Thorin."

He laughed at her disgruntled look. "Aye, I'm quite ready to meet them myself. Soon my love, we will hold them in our arms." Thorin dropped a kiss to her belly before standing again and pulling her up. "Come on, I do believe you are supposed to be staying in the bed."

Bilba huffed in exasperation as she allowed herself to be guided back to their bed. "I'm tired of lying around all the time! I've nothing to do but read and feel fat and I've read all my books, twice!"

Thorin merely smiled as he tucked his tiny wife back in, letting her fuss as he brushed her hair from her face. He thought her adorable when she was angry.

"Stop it Thorin, I'm serious!"

"Of course you are." Thorin crawled under the covers behind Bilba, pulling her close. "I've changed my scheduling again so that I can be here with you in the early evenings. No more late court or meetings. I've already handed the mines over to Bofur so I no longer need to go to inspections more than once a month. Gloin has taken over the treasury. Dis and Fili and Balin are going to be slowly taking over more of my duties so that I can be here for you. They will be watching over everything for several months after the babies arrive."

Bilba gave a sigh as she relaxed into Thorin, he was always so warm and the best thing to cuddle up to when the draft mountain chilled her to her toes. She felt her worries melt away with the constant back pain as she drifted into sleep.

…..

Fourteen months, Bilba had now been pregnant for fourteen months. She was snappish and cursed any time she had to get up for something. Oin ignored anything he could hear while the girls laughed themselves silly.

"Laugh all you want! The two of you are courting dwarrow of your own and everyone knows marriage eventually ends up like this!" She grinned in satisfaction at the embarrassed blushes spreading to the girls' ears. "Though for your own sakes, I don't recommend being pregnant longer than a full year."

"Aye, I can see for myself how inconvenient It is. Don't worry though, it won't be much longer."

Peri nodded along, "That's right Bilba, and the babies have already dropped. So they could come any day now."

"Good." Bilba dug her knuckles into the small of her back. "I'm tired of hurting all over, and I long to see my feet again."

…..

Any day turned out to be almost a full week later. Bilba had been sitting on the edge of the bed, knuckles firmly pressed into her back as she felt pressure building again and wrapping all the way around to her front. She knew she needed to call for someone, but couldn't haul herself out of the bed to walk the short distance to the door.

Thorin would be back soon to check on her anyway, it was almost lunch. She just had to last until then.

An hour later Thorin found her in the same spot on the bed letting out a hiss reminisce of one of Doris tea kettles. He froze when she looked up at him, pain clear in her face as she eased through what he could only guess must be a contraction.

In just a few strides he was easing her back into the bed, laying her on her left side. "Will you be okay for me to get the guard? I'll have to send someone for the girls."

"I've made it this long; I think I'll be okay for a few minutes." He hissed through her teeth as she felt another contraction coming on.

He gave her a worried look before rushing to the door, sending a guard running to find help before joining Bilba again on the bed.

"They are close together, how long have you been feeling them"

"All morning I think. I didn't feel the greatest when we went to bed last night. I thought I was overly tired."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have stayed."

"It's okay Thorin, you're here now."

It felt like ages before Bilba's twin cousins came racing through the door followed closely by Oin and Dis.

Things became hectic after that, Thorin found himself shoved off the bed briefly while they looked Bilba over, "The babies are certainly ready. The question is are you?" Primrose grinned up at Bilba as Peri helped Thorin slide in behind her so he could support her.

"more than ready for this to be over you mean!"

Bilba hissed again and gripped Thorin hands tightly while her terrible awful cousin laughed at her ire.

"Let's get those babies out then yeah?"

….

It was early the next morning when things finally settled down in the royal wing. The twin sons of Bilba and Thorin were born almost twenty minutes apart, the first having taken his sweet time coming out. Thorin had wept when Bilba asked if he wanted to name one of them Frerin.

The girls and shooed Thorin out into the sitting room with the babies after Bilba had fed them, allowing him to present them to the company that had all drifted in over the course of the last several hours.

Dis, Prim, and Peri helped get Bilba cleaned up and situated back in her bed to rest before calling Thorin back in.

Primrose had gone to retrieve Thorin when she found him seated proudly on the couch before the fire. He held his sons cradled close, their tiny bodies fitting snuggly in each massive and scar covered hand. His nephews sat close, one on each side looking down in wonder at their cousins. She felt a smile crawl over her face as she heard Thorin muttering lowly in Khuzdul as Fili ran one finger gently across the fuzzy cheek of the babe closest to him.

"She's ready for you to come back now Thorin." Prim spoke gently, almost afraid to break the sweet scene before her.

He glanced up at her, a huge smile splitting his face before he slowly rose from his seat and made his way back across to the bedroom. Prim stepped aside as he slid into the room, settling back down on the bed beside Bilba, Frerin, the eldest, and Falin, the younger, nested snuggly between them.

With orders to come get them if they needed anything, Dis, Oin, and the Twins filed out of the bedroom, leaving the new family to bond before shooing out the members of the company that had come.

Prim slid up next to Nori as everyone began to left, watching as her sister did the same with Bofur. She sent a playful admonishment across the link to behave, receiving the equivalent of Prim sticking out her tongue in return.

Prim simply shook her head in amusement before giving her attention to Nori, who stood before her with his arms crossed and a strange look on his face. "You okay?"

Nori merely hummed before moving a curl that had fallen back behind her pointed ear, lingering over the tip and causing her to shiver. "You need rest, you've been up all night."

"So I have. Though I don't really feel like sleeping at the moment. It's strange. Every time we deliver a babe I feel strange after. Almost jealous in a way."

Nori tilted his head in question.

"I almost wish it was me."

At that Nori sucked in a quick breath. "Lass," he swallowed thickly, "Ye can't be saying things like that. We…we are still courtin. Not to mention there is more than one dwarf that would beat me blue if I touched ye before we wed good and proper."

Primrose pulled Nori's hands into her own, tracing the knife scars on his hands as she thought. Was this something she wanted, or was it baby fever; it tended to take over young hobbit lasses anytime they were presented with newborns. Making probably the rashest decision ever, Prim looked Nori in the eye while she gripped his hands. "Tooks are not known for being 'good and proper'."

Prim heard a strangled sound come from Nori before he snatched her up and marched off down the corridor. She had made a startled sound at being suddenly thrown over his shoulder before breaking out in delighted laughter. Fool of a Took indeed. She felt Peridot would be proud.

…..

Peridot had grinned at Prim's teasing across the link before she pulled Bofur off and down the corridor. He had enough sense to keep his mouth shut until she pushed him boldly into her own room, shutting and locking the door behind them. "I can tell you already that Prim will not be back the rest of the day, and probably not all night. And I don't really plan on letting you go anywhere either."

Peri watched in excitement as Bofur's eyes darkened, it was a moment before he could bring himself to speak. "Peridot," He whispered her name, making a shiver crawl up her spine. He had made to say something else but she cut him off before she could think through what she was doing.

"Bofur I'm tired of us dancing around each other, I'll admit that a winter wedding is a little strange by Hobbit standards but I don't think I can wait anymore." She gave him a grin. "And I don't think you can eith…" Peri squeaked in surprise when she found herself picked up suddenly and pressed against the door. Feeling the excitement building as he kissed her senseless. Only one thought raced through her mind, 'Fool of a Took indeed.'

….

Dori was going to kill him. If he found out that was.

Nori lay in his bed, Primrose across his bare chest like a limpet as she slept, one of his hands brushing through her curls. Dori was going to kill him, and probably Thorin and Bilba if they can look away from the babies long enough to notice. Dead for sure.

…...

Peridot had broken away from Bofur briefly to check on Bilba when she went to collect something to eat. Grinning as Thorin sat and watched in fascination as Bilba fed their sons. "It's good that they are eating good. It's a month early for a dwarrow birth, but they are half hobbit and should have been born a while ago."

Bilba laughed. "They arrived when they needed to and not a moment too soon."

"Aye," Thorin replied as he took Falin from Bilba and began patting him on the back.

Peri left them before making her way back to her own dwarf. She didn't care how improper it was, she wanted what Bilba had.

She began stripping almost as soon as she walked back in. Crawling back in the warm bed and curling his mustache around her fingers as he grinned down at her. Green lady willing she would be next.

…

Word had gone out to the mountain the day after the birth of the princes. Thorin had torn himself away from his new little family long enough to make the announcement, watching as the assembled dwarrow erupted into loud excited cheers.

Two sons! Mahal be praised two healthy sons. The celebrations began before Thorin could return to the royal wing. He would not be holding court for several months unless something happened that required his exclusive attention. Fili, Dis, and Balin seemed to have everything well enough in hand.

…..

Deep in the lower halls of the mountain an Ironfist sat drinking as the others celebrated around him. This was the sign he had been waiting for. The queen had born two healthy sons to the crown. The hobbits were the answer he had been searching for. A smirk crawled across his face when he thought of the two other hobbit lasses in the mountain. He had already found a place to hide them, now he just needed to get ahold of them.

Unknown to the dwarrow he was being watched. Three miners were sat across the bar seemingly deep into their cups. They were in fact taking their turn in watching the lone dwarf, trying to discover why he was so interested in the girls.


	8. A Light In Dark Spaces

Ch.8

Late December

The constant water dripping was the only marker for the slow passage of time. She was too deep underground for daylight to reach, and her capture had not bothered to give her any light.

Her head still pounded and bleed sluggishly, she couldn't hear anything through the link, a soft buzzing like her head was full of bees. She thought of her sister. Still alone somewhere. Had she been caught as well? She shouldn't have gone alone! Should have found Kili and Dwalin instead of continuing on her own. They had told her something was going on. Bilba and Thorin had told them both they were being watched, to stay together, stay safe.

She had been stupid. Now she was trapped. She shivered as a drop of water landed on the top of her head and pulled the thin blanket tighter. The cold had seeped into her bones days ago, weeks ago? She was not sure how long she had been down here. She had been unconscious for a while, and her internal clock was shot to pieces. With nothing more to do than wait, she slipped back into a fitful, feverish sleep, arm curled protectively around her belly.

…

Several months earlier….

The babies were growing large, Prim and Peri coming by every day to coo over them and snuggle so Bilba could get a well-deserved nap. Bofur had taken to escorting the girls around when he could to give Dwalin a break, Kili trailed along with them like an over grown puppy, Continuously chattering their ears off about his pretty red head.

Nori had gotten busy and found it hard to break away. He made a point to find Primrose for lunch every day he was in the mountain though. No matter where she was or what she was doing he would show up. Basket for a picnic or simply a few wrapped sandwiches in one hand, the other held out to sweep her off and away.

They had not been together much since the day the twins were born with him always gone, so Prim relished every second she could steal with her thief. They had not been together again since the night the princes were born, he promised to go through the rest of the courtship correctly; promptly gifting her with a set of leather vambraces he had made.

When she questioned him on the gift initially, he had only pulled her hand to him, kissing the scar on the back of her hand that trailed up her arm. "I could not see you wounded so again, not if I can help it. The vambraces will help protect you when I cannot." She had blushed to the tips of her ears and worn them every day since, much to the delight of Bilba.

…..

Prim knew that Peridot was still sneaking off with Bofur. She would slip into the room late into the night, their bond flaring back to life as she crawled into the bed.

It was after she had been sneaking back in for three nights in a row Prim decided she had to say something, rolling over and stilling her sister as she shuffled around under the covers.

"You are being careful, aren't you Peri?"

"Of course, no one's caught us yet, and I think you're the only one that knows."

"That's not what I meant. You're not married yet, what if something happens? We all know how fertile hobbits are."

Peridot was silent for a while before turning over to face her sister in the dark. "What if that's what I want?" she whispered.

"Peri, is that really what you want?"

"Bofur and I are going to get married eventually. Why should we have to wait? I know you and Nori haven't."

"Nori and I have only been together the once. We decided to hold off until we are properly married."

"Sounds boring."

"Peri!"

"Well it does! Bofur and I discussed what we would do if I did end up pregnant. We just agreed at rush things if it happens. We've already gifted each other most everything. I finished the wall hanging of the quest and the rug and the blanket is almost done. You were there for the plaque, and you've seen the set of cooking utensils he carved, and the lovely spice rack. All that's left is some papers to sign and someone to say the rights. We can take our time or do it tomorrow. If we were back in the Shire we would have been married a month ago."

"I just worry about you Peridot."

"I know Prim, I worry about you too. You're still having nightmares you know. Not as bad mind you but…"

"Don't change the subject! We are talking about you and Bofur!"

"What more is there to talk about? I love him and he loves me and we have decided to have a baby if we are so blessed. I will not be dissuaded from this Primrose."

"You're sure about this?"

"Absolutely. I know this seems reckless and more than a little foolish of me, but I'm nothing if not a Took, right? This is what I want."

"As long as you know what you are getting into."

"Not completely, but that's the fun in finding out." Peri reached out and took one of Prims hands. "What I really want to talk about now are your dreams, I thought they would stop when we reached the mountain."

"I know. I did too, but…It's not like I haven't seen blood before. It's part of my job, my livelihood. But I keep imagining that I didn't make it back to you, or I did and I was too late to help. I can still feel the blood dripping from my hair and down my face, and I know it's not mine. I can' get that man's face out of my head, as the life leaves his eyes, Dwalin's axes dripping over me." Prim shuddered as she curled in on herself, the tears coming fast and hot.

"Oh Prim." Peridot pulled her sister closer, soothing away what she could through the bond until Primrose fell asleep in the circle of her arms.

…..

"You're sure he's not made a move toward the girls? He's not been doing anything else at all?"

"No Thorin. He just watches them if they are around. He goes out of his way to see them if he knows they are out of the royal quarters. Otherwise he just sits in the pub at the inn and drinks." Nori stood next to the fire as he watched Thorin pace in his office.

"Which pub?"

"The Silver Stine, Old Tibbs place down in the lower halls. It's frequented by miners, so I've got them watching him when he's there. Rorin doesn't think it best if he watches him, the Ironfist is sure to know of him by now. The miners report back to Rorin while in the mines and I visit him regularly with the girls."

Thorin nodded as he thought. "Do we know who he is? Anything at all?"

"As far as I can tell he came in with another group of Ironfists for the Durin's Day celebrations. Other than traveling in with them though, he keeps himself separated. He travels with no kin or close friend. Some of the more ambitious miners have tried talking to him a time or two but he stays standoffish. All we've gotten so far is that he calls himself Eisen and he's been staying over the pub since he got here."

"Thank you Nori. When you see Kili, let him know he will need to be staying with the girls until further notice. We can only hope that he leaves in the spring when the passes clear. Until he makes a move we can't do anything more than watch."

Nori nodded before taking off, he needed to visit Ori again before going to see Primrose.

Thorin continued to pace, disturbed that someone was watching the girls so closely. If the dwarrow had merely been curious he would have come forward by now with questions. But the history of the Ironfists pointed in another direction, one that worried Thorin greatly.

With a heavy resigned sigh, Thorin made his way out of his office and back up the mountain passages. He had promised Bilba he would be home well before dinner. And woe be unto him if he was late even by a minute.

Opening the door to their rooms he felt all the tension draining away. Bilba was before the great fireplace in their seating area, the boys laid out on a soft quilt Bilba's mother had made. Their dark curls contrasting with the bright yellows in the fabric.

"You made it." She looked up at him sleepily as he drew closer. "Frerin found his toes."

Thorin looked down at his boys, their slightly pointed ears peeking out of their mass of hair, Falin's blue eyes studying him back as Frerin grabbed at his feet. "They look like they've gained weight since this morning." He sat on the blanked and pulled Bilba into his lap.

"I think they might have. They are growing slow for a hobbit, but still gaining weight well. Fauntlings tend to pack on a lot of weight in the first few years, right before they run it all off."

"Dwarrow young tend to grow slow, as you can guess."

"Ugh, don't remind me. Let's wait a few more years before we have anymore. I don't think I can be like cousin Fern and pop out a baby every year like she did the first seven years after she got married."

"Every year!?" Thorin found himself continuously surprised by hobbit. "You…want more?" Thorin looked down at Bilba in excitement, she wanted more. "You will never cease to amaze me Bilba."

She hummed in confirmation as Thorin ran his hand through her hair, pulling it out of its braids. "Good. I plan on it staying that way."

"I'll have it no other way." Thorin rebraided her hair as he watched his sons. He never thought Mahal would ever bless him so.

….

It was late again when Peridot slipped into the room she shared with her sister. Excitement an nerves making her jittery as she slid under the covers.

"Prim? Prim are you awake?"

"I am now." Primrose rolled over to face her sister. "What is it?"

Instead of answering Peridot simply opened the bond as wide as she could, letting her sister in on everything.

Prim sat up quickly with a gasp, looking down at her grinning sister. "Are you really?"

"At least a month along now. That's why I've kept the link closed for a few weeks. I wanted to be sure."

"Oh Peri, have you told Bofur yet?"

"Not yet. I wanted you to be the first to know."

"So now I know! You have to tell him, soon."

"I will. The very next time I see him. Are you mad at me Prim? I know we spoke about waiting until we were married."

"I'm worried is all, but very happy for you. I know Bofur intends to marry you so I'm not so worried about that. We will have to tell Bilba."

"Yeah…she's going to be upset with me."

"Probably. She might be more upset with Bofur though, she knows you all too well."

Peri stuck her tongue out at her sister before both girls settled in to sleep, their bond humming pleasantly between them.

…

Yule Time

The resident hobbits had been making plans for Yule for several months now, long before Bilba had her twins even.

"Peridot! Do you think we need more greenery?"

Peri looked up from the tree she was decorating to see Prim on a ladder, Nori handing up boughs of pine to hang above the doors. "If we want to put anything on the mantel then yes."

Prim nodded before looking back down at Nori, who she noticed was taking this opportunity to look up her skirt. "Catch!" She startled him as she leapt from the ladder and right into his waiting arms.

"Mahal lass! You scared me!"

"I knew you would catch me."

"While I am glad you have such faith in my abilities could you not jump off anything else for a while?"

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry I scared you." Prim kissed Nori quickly on the cheek as he put her down before running over to her sister. "This is looking great! We invited everyone right?"

"Of course we did!"

"I haven't seen Rorin, did you get him is invitation?"

"That I did not." Peri looked a little sheepish. "It might have slipped my mind."

"Peri!"

"I know! If you two can finish up here I'll go down and invite him right now and see about getting some more greenery to put up."

Nori watched Peri leave as Prim began hanging little colored glass globes on the tall tree they had had brought in from the edge of the mountain. "Has she told Bilba and Thorin yet?"

"Told them what?"

"That she is expecting."

Prim almost dropped the ornament in surprise, "Who told you?"

"Bofur of course. He is one of my closest friends."

"I should have known he couldn't keep his mouth shut. Was it only you he told?" She went back to decorating the tree. "She is supposed to tell them tonight."

"In his defense, I did have him roaring drunk."

Prim only rolled her eyes. "You are terrible. Now hand me that box with the blue ornaments in it."

"You are very kind to say so love!" Nori grinned as he handed the box over as requested.

….

It was growing late, most of the guests had already arrived with the exception of the Ur's, they were going to be coming a little later with all of Bombur children and some specialty dwarrow dishes he wanted the hobbits to try.

Primrose kept wringing her hand and looking at the door. Peridot had been gone several hours now and not returned or sent word. She couldn't very well start the party if one of the hostesses was missing.

"You okay?" Prim looked over as Bilba and Thorin joined her in the kitchen, each holding one of their tiny twins.

"Just worried. Peri was supposed to run down to Rorin's as she forgot to invite him sooner. He does not have family in the mountain and we wanted to include him in our own."

Thorin smiled at the thoughtfulness of the girls. "That is a thing well done. Dwarrow hold their families close. Families of choice even closer. When did she leave?"

"It's been hours now. We were still putting the tree up when she left."

"Kili was with his mother and brother until a little while ago. Who did she get to escort her?"

"I…I don't know. She didn't say. I…please excuse me."

Thorin and Bilba exchanged worried looks as they watched Primrose dash into her bedroom, the door clicking shut behind her.

Safe in her room Prim sat on their bed and closed her eyes. She and Peri had only had cause to communicate through their bond on a handful of occasions. Almost always being close at hand or able to wait to speak in person.

Now however the need was greater than she was willing to admit. If Peri didn't find anyone to take her and she was not back by now there were only a few places she could be.

With eyes squeezed tightly she reached for the bond they shared, willing the soft hum that was always in the back of her head to open.

Nothing. Not even a whisper. How had she not noticed sooner that her mind was silent? Panicking Primrose rose from the bed and ran back to where everyone was gathered.

"She gone!"

Everyone looked at her at the alarmed shout.

"Primrose?" Nori immediately came to her side as Thorin handed Falin off to Balin and joined them.

"What is it? What do you mean she's gone?"

Dwalin gasped in recognition before Prim could say anything. "Yer link. Like when you fell off that wagon on the way to the mountain."

"Yes…something has happened. She's' gone! I can't hear her." Tears gathered in her eyes as she began to slide to the floor, Nori catching her up and hurrying to one of the chairs.

"Hush love. It will be okay. We will find her again."

Thorin looked to Dwalin who nodded before swiftly leaving "Primrose, we will do all that we can to find your sister. I will leave Bilba and the boys here with you for now. The rest of us will begin the search right away. Nori, I hate to pull you away, but I'm going to need you if we are to find her."

Nori squeezed Prims hand tightly and gave her a swift kiss before he rose to his feet before the chair. "I'll find her."

Prim looked Nori in the eye before giving her whispered answer, "I know you will."

Nodding once, Nori left. He would find Peridot, and if she was in less than perfect condition when he did the Ironfist responsible would not come out of this alive, or in one piece.

….

Present

Peridot was awake again, this had become the cycle for however long she had been here, sleep and awake. She figured she had been here at least a week by now, judging by how often the dwarrow came by to feed her. Which seemed to be only once a day if her grumbling stomach was anything to go by.

He never spoke to her, only looked at her. She had begged the first couple of times she had been coherent enough to be let go. Then she had simply asked why. Still, he remained silent.

He had not looked at any of her wounds, and she dared not tend to them while he was there, even if he brought the only light she had seen while trapped. So far, all she could find feeling in the dark was the shallow gash on her head and the bruising up and down her arms from when he had first grabbed her. The open wound bled a lot, as head wounds tended to do, and her head still hurt something fierce. If she moved to fast everything would spin and she had been sick on more than one occasion. She knew it needed to be cleaned, but he only brought a single cup of water with him and took it back when he would leave.

She lay under the blanket he had left for her, rubbing a hand gently on her still flat stomach. She worried what the dwarrow would do when he found out she was pregnant. It would be several months still until she began to show, and she hoped she would not be here that long, but there were ways he could find out before.

The food he brought was thankfully bland and of decent quality, her stomach had yet to reject anything, the continued dizziness was a concern though as well as the blocked link. If she could not reach Prim, how would they know she was even still in the mountain and not in Dale?

Seeing the light growing around the cracks of the boulder blocking off her only exit, Peri shrunk back as far as she could against the wall. She shivered as the lantern he bore light up the area he kept her, illuminating her pale skin and fever flushed face. Please only let him be dropping off food again. Please let nothing change.

….

He had been seen! Finally someone had seen the Ironfist dwarrow. Nori raced to tell Thorin the news. He had all but vanished after Peridot disappeared, causing the search to drag on longer than it should have. They almost feared he had moved her to Dale, but he was far to suspicious of anyone to take her far from the mountain unless he was taking her to another mountain, with the passes all still snowed in that would be imposable.

Prim had let it out that things were worse than they thought, telling everyone that Peridot was expecting as well.

Bilba had begun to cry as Thorin sent a dark look to Bofur who was fidgeting as all gazes had slowly slid to him.

"Bofur dear," Dis called his attention, "Is this true?"

"Ye…yes ma'am." His face began to heat under everyone's stares.

"Oh Bofur." Bilba had hurried forward, shuffling Frerin off to Dis before she could rise from her seat and clobber the miner over the head, pulling him down into a hug.

"We were goin to tell you all. We already started talking about when to make things official, when she could move in. I've nearly got the marriage beads done."

"We will find her Bofur. The two of you will be together again and we can get all this sorted out, yeah?" Bilba rubbed his back as the hatted dwarf broke down.

Nori had never seen his friend like that and never wanted to again. This was the only chance they had. Sliding to a halt before the doors to Thorin study he took a deep breath before opening the door without knocking and striding in.

"Thorin!" The king looked up quickly, nearly knocking over a pot of ink. "Thorin he's been seen."

"Seen? Where? When?"

"This morning, late. One of the miners was heading out for an early lunch when he saw him. He was followed back into the mines and down one of the closed shafts. He lost him at what looked like a rockslide."

"A slide? Could be fabricated." Thorin began to rummage through his desk until he found a large map of the mines, notes and doodles filling up space about projects and ore along with ink splatters. "Show me."

Nori drew closer to the desk as Thorin swept everything off and lay to large map out across it.

"There," Nori pointed to the side tunnel the miner had shown him, "You take the main path and then branch out to this shaft on the left. It's got several more leading off that are still closed until Bifur and Bofur can get a good look at them to make sure they are stable. He went and vanished into the one all the way at the end. The miners have taken up a watch. If they see him, he won't remain a free dwarf for long."

"Good. Go find the Ur's and then get your brothers. I want everyone there when we catch him. Hopefully we find Peridot as well."

…

The company could hear the commotion as they came into the mines. A large group of miners was surrounding what looked like a badly beaten and tied up dwarrow. The Ironfist they had been after all this time.

At the presence of the king the miners pulled away from the dwarrow still left tied on the ground and bowed as they let the whole of the company through.

"King Thorin," Rorin pushed his way forward to address the company. "We caught him coming back out and didn't think it in our best interests if he was allowed to slip away. I hope you will forgive his current state, he did not want to come along quietly."

"Rorin, you have my thanks, you and every miner of Erebor. This Dwarrow is responsible for the disappearance of one we both hold dear, I would see him brought to justice, you did well. Has there been any sign of Peridot?"

"She's behind the slide as best we can tell. The shaft continues on once we moved the debris, but we have not ventured further in, the cavern is unstable and full of water. I'm sorry my lord, we can't risk a rescue until we have someone with better stone sense."

"Bifur," Thorin turned to find the oldest of the Ur family, "You have the best stone sense I've seen, we will need you here."

Bifur nodded as he darted off to the entrance to the mine shaft, Bofur and Oin following close behind. The rest of the company gathered around the tied up Ironfist.

"Eisen of the Ironfist clan," The dwarrow looked up at Thorin, anger clearly written across his rapidly purpling face, "You are accused of kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. Is there anything you wish to say before we take you away?"

The dwarrow simply bared his teeth and sneered at the assembled company. Eyes not leaving Thorin's until a commotion came from the tunnel Bifur had disappeared into. Rage overtook the downed dwarrows face as he watched Bofur carry his prize out of the disused mine shaft. He made to stand before Dwalin knocked him out with a well-placed hit to the back of his head.

Oin rushed over to Thorin, "She's not well lad, we couldn't get her to wake when we found her, and she's got a fever and right nasty head wound. The lad and I will get her upstairs and tended to." Oin looked down at the passed out dwarrow with a dark look, "You will call me if you need me, yes?"

"Of course Oin, Thank you. See to Peridot now. I will have you sent for later."

Oin nodded before racing out the mine where Bofur had disappeared, back up to the higher levels of the mountain.

Thorin watched the entrance for a while before turning back to look at the one responsible for this whole mess. "Nori, Dwalin." Both dwarrow snapped to attention, "Would you escort our guest to his new accommodations? I need to go let Bilba and Primrose know that Peridot has been found. Alert me when he wakes."

Dwalin snatched up the tied dwarrow in a white knuckle grip as Nori trailed in his wake, knives flashing in and out of their hiding places as he attempted to control his rage. Thorin called back to them before they could leave completely, "I do need him able to answer questions when I get there, so try not to get too enthusiastic." Each only gave a curt nod before continuing on. One only needed a tongue to speak after all.

After they left with Eisen Thorin turned back to the assembled miners. "Rorin," The older dwarrow hurried forward, "Until Bofur can return to his duties as overseer of the mines I will need you to step in."

"Yer sure my king?" Rorin look surprised.

"The miners have followed your direction during the whole investigation and apprehension of the one responsible. I would trust no other to keep charge here. Your first act will be to have that shaft sealed off so no one wonders inside until we can have it searched. I will send a guard down to collect you later and bring you to the girls. I know Primrose wishes to see you, and I know you will want word of Peridot."

Rorin bowed deeply to Thorin before turning and making his way back to the workers as Thorin and the rest of the company made their way out of the mines.

….

"…Not…fever….keep quiet…"

Peridot found herself fading in and out of sleep. She could occasionally hear voices, but couldn't tell if they were real or a dream. If she found herself in a dream she hoped it never stopped.

There were other times she would almost wake and could feel a weight settled on both sides of her. Feeling safe, she would feel herself pulled back under.


	9. Fever Pitch

Ch.9

Oin, worried about Peridot and the health of her unborn child, kept her in a light medicated sleep. The bruising on her looked to be from where she had struggled when taken captive and had mostly healed; the only item he was concerned about was the obviously infected wound on the side of her head. It had remained untreated during the weeks she had been captured and was causing her to run a dangerously high fever.

Bofur and Primrose had not left her side since she had been found. Both could be found curled around her protectively. Prim, still distraught over the bond's continued silence rarely left her sisters side. Apparently, even in sleep they should be connected.

A couple days after Peridot's retrieval, Bilba finally had Nori pull Primrose from her sister's sick room; Oin used this opportunity to speak to Bofur alone. "I'll not lie to you lad, If we can't get her fever down there is a good chance we could lose her, but you also have to know there is a greater chance she will lose the baby even if she lives."

This was the part Oin hated most about his job as he watched Bofur's eyes tear up as the lad tried to control his sniffles. It was never fair; bringing bad news of any kind. Aside from being dear friends, the two of them were young and had a life full ahead of them. To have it begin with something tragic, Oin couldn't imagine the pain.

"There is a chance she won't, but I won't sugar coat anything for you. She's not okay lad. That wound is right nasty, it wasn't deep, but it was never cleaned or cared for. You saw for yourself where the scum kept her. It's why I've been keeping her under; she needs to keep quiet and still. She needs to rest if we are to get the infection under control."

Giving Bofur's arm a squeeze, Oin let himself out of Peridot's sick room. It was times like this the old dwarrow wished he was completely deaf as he heard Bofur dissolve into heart wrenching sobs before the door could even click shut.

"Great maker please, hear me and answer, _please_. I cannot lose her. She is my one, my other half, my life. Please. Please. _Please._ "

….

Nori had pulled Prim out of her sister's sick room again. Oin kept Peridot under after her rescue, fearful of the infection and the hindrance it would be to her recovery. He pretended he couldn't hear Bofur's frantic prayers, or Prim's weeping as he lead her down the halls to his own rooms where he could wrap himself around her and hold her as she begged her own maker to spare her sister and child.

Nori hated. He had disliked several people in his life and career as a thief before Erebor, but never had he hated before. But he hated the Ironfist that was responsible for the anguish his little family was feeling.

Several times now Nori had made the long walk down into the dungeons to where Eisen of the Ironfist clan was being held. The dwarrows delusions became worse as the days had passed and he began to talk. His ideas of renewing and revitalizing the children of Mahal by using Hobbits was disgusting. He had intended to use Peridot in the vilest way imaginable, nothing more than a brood mare once he could get her away and back to his own home. Nori shuddered to think what would have happen if he had discovered her current pregnancy.

Nori focused back on his own love as she lay shuddering in his arms, crying even in sleep.

By order of the King, Eisen of the Ironfist clan was to become a nameless dwarf. Shorn, shaved, and branded before being sent to the Ironhills to work in the deepest pit Dain could find until death claimed him. Nori would see that he never made it that far.

Weeks after the group had left for the Ironhills, a message was sent to the king. The guards had been set upon and knocked out before their prisoner was taken from the cart and drug off. When the guards came to and pursued , they found Eisen's head mounted to a boar spear on the side of the road, Eyes gouged and tongue cut out, the rest of his body nowhere to be found. Thorin couldn't find it in himself to be upset.

Bilba only gave a nod when Thorin told her of what happened; only informing him that she wished to host the company for dinner as soon as everyone was able.

…..

It was before her fever broke, much to Oin's relief, it had been touch and go for a few nights. "Hobbits are much more resilient than we give them credit for," he remarked as Bilba sat at her cousin's bedside, "I should really stop underestimating you."

Bilba smiled at the old healer, "Underestimated is what we go for Oin." She brushed a curl from Peri's face, "Will she really be okay?"

"Aye lass, right as rain soon enough. She should be waking up in a day or so, and then we can get her fed something more than broth. I'm sure the lass will be ready to get out of this room and coning Bofur into taking her off soon enough."

"And the baby?"

Oin gave a deep sigh, "As far as her sister and I can tell, the baby is fine. No lasting damage, though her chances of a hard pregnancy and labor will be higher. She lost a lot of strength; that will be hard for her to bounce back from. There is a good chance she will have the baby early"

Bilba sat silent vigil beside her cousin as she watched her sleep, Bofur snoozing in the chair across the bed. Nori had retrieved Primrose again, forcing her to eat a decent meal and get restful sleep; Bilba was thankful for Nori's attentiveness.

It was several hours later before Thorin came to retrieve her, leading Bilba back to their own rooms, letting Dis return to her own home and following her into the nursery where their sons slept soundly in the sturdy crib carved by the Ur family.

Bilba ran gentle fingers across each of her son's downy cheeks, admiring the soft hair already beginning to grow in think. She sent up multiple prayers that night, thanks for allowing Peridot to be retrieved and recovering, the safety of her own little family, her sons and her husband's health and happiness, the continued good health and safety of all those residing within the mountain. She sent prayers to her and her husband's makers that this would be the end of heartache for the dwarrow she had come to call her own.

Bilba allowed Thorin to shuffle her off to their bed, pulling her close as he buried his nose into her curls, warm breath brushing across her ear as they both drifted into sleep.

…

Primrose woke slowly in Nori's arms, looking up at the still snoring dwarrow that had been keeping her company ever since her sister had been taken. His reddish brown hair had come loose from its braids where she had been tugging on it, his beard in complete disarray. She knew they shouldn't have, he had even tried to stop her before she had kissed him, quieting any protests as she worked the ties on his pants loose.

He had been exceedingly gentle with her, letting her forget everything as he brought her spiraling up into pure bliss. She curled her fingers into the soft hair of his beard, attempting to go back to sleep before she felt something that had been missing for weeks now.

Peridot was amused. She could feel it coming across the bond. The fond 'I told you so' was loud and clear.

Primrose gasped as she jerked upright, startling Nori, he leapt from the bed knives spinning to life before he turned to look back at her in confusion at seeing nothing amiss.

"Prim love? Are you okay? I didn't hurt ya did I?"

"Peridot."

He just looked at her confused

"I felt her! She must be waking up!" Prim jumped from the bed and stumbled into Nori's arms as he caught her before she hit the floor.

"Careful now! Well get you dressed and you need to eat something before we go. I'm sure if she was awake already someone would have come for you."

Prim nodded before she slowly slipped away from him, "Nori, where did you even get knives? I was sure they were all on the table before we went to bed."

He coughed as his face flushed a little. "Habit love, I never go without a pair of knives close at hand, even in the nude."

Primrose rolled her eyes as she set about pulling her clothes on as she heard Nori put his own clothes on before going into the next room and fixing a bite of breakfast. They enjoyed a quick meal of toasted bread and some of the preserves he always seemed to have in his kitchen before they made their way to Peridot's room.

Bofur was asleep curled on the bed next to Peri when they slipped in, Oin moving about mixing herbs for teas on one of the tables. "Good morning," Oin greeted them before moving to wake Bofur.

Prim smiled as Nori went to help Oin wake his friend as she took one of the chairs by the bed, threading her sister's fingers with her own. "You need to wake up now," she whispered to the sleeping form, "I know you can hear me, I've been so worried you know. We all have. So you need to wake up."

Prim kept whispering to her little sister, occasionally calling for her across their bond. She could hear the others moving about in the room, glancing up as Bilba and Thorin joined her with the twins. She smiled as little Falin wrapped his little hand around one of his father's braids. Everything would be okay, Peri would wake up and she and Bofur could get married, and around this time next year she could help her sister have her own little faunt.

She just needed to wake up.

….

Peridot felt herself floating again, this time she could hear something though. It had taken a moment to figure out it was Prim across the bond. Her sister that was fully enjoying the attentions of one dwarrow thief. Peri felt like laughing, Prim was such a hypocrite.

Minutes, or maybe hours later, one could never tell, she felt her sister again. Closer this time. She could make out words now, her name over and over again. She tried to follow.

…

It was already late into the night when Bofur felt Peridot stirring on the bed. Primrose had fallen asleep in Nori's lap hours before, both curled around each other in the chair.

Bofur had not been able to go back to sleep. Prim had told him that she was aware, the bond had been reestablished between them and she would wake soon. He had sat vigil ever since.

Her breathing had changed first, coming out of the deep sleep pattern right before she gripped his hand. His head had shot up, looking at her face before he noticed her blinking furiously.

He's pretty sure he startled Nori when he made a broken sound as he jumped from his seat and settled on the bed, leaning over his beloved. He felt the tears running fast and hot down his face when she finally opened her eyes and looked at him.

Bofur had never seen a shade of green more beautiful.


	10. Mornings are Made for Love

Ch. 10

It was early, too early for Peri's tastes, but the fact of the matter was, she was hungry, again.

It had been three weeks since she had woken up after the ordeal and gaining strength every day, Oin however, would still not let her go farther than the sitting room to relax before the fire.

She sighed as she rolled over and into Bofur's warm chest, maybe she could just go back to sleep and ignore the grumbling of her stomach. It was not to be however when a sudden hot flash of nausea hit her hard and sent her scrambling out of Bofur's arms and to the bathroom as fast as she could go.

She had not been kneeling long when she felt her hair being gathered away from her face. Bofur began to rub soothing circles in her back with his other hand as he spoke to her in low sleepy Khuzdul, waiting for the spell to pass as it always did.

When Peridot was finally able to sit back, she looked up at Bofur's sleep rumpled face through watery eyes, he grinned down at her.

"Ready to eat now that you've made room?"

Peri rolled her eyes, "Yes you silly dwarf I am ready to eat now. Just let me rinse my mouth out and I'll join you in the kitchen."

She watched him nod before he planted a kiss to her forehead and wondered off to start an early breakfast.

She leaned over and rested against the cool stone beside the basin. She had started getting sick not long after she had woken from her long illness. Oin said her body had been weakened and she would feel the effects of carrying much stronger than normal. She felt herself relaxing as the coolness of the mountain rock soothed her.

…..

Bofur had finished cooking and set the table before wondering back to the bathroom. Peridot had never joined him the entire time he had been cooking. Leaning against the door frame he watched as she slept against the cool stone of the bathroom wall; he could tell she had not moved since he left her. Smiling slightly he slipped up next to her, squatting down beside her he gently shook her awake.

"' **ibin** , you need to get up now." She blinked sleepily up at him before letting out a huge yawn.

Bofur helped her slowly off the floor and held her close as they wondered through his rooms and into the bright kitchen.

Peridot had been staying with Bofur ever since she had woken, refusing to be separated. A few of the company had mumbled about propriety, Bofur wasn't sure how much of that they had left seeing as she was already pregnant and all. So she had moved in the day Oin finally let her out of the bed, insisting on walking as far as she could before Bofur finally had scooped her up and carry her down the halls.

Bofur settled Peridot at the dark table covered in all kinds of breakfast foods, meats and grains and fresh fruits all within easy reach of her spot. He set her a cup of peppermint tea and a cool glass of water beside her before taking his own spot across from her, grinning as she began devouring anything within reach.

After several moments of amused silence, Peridot finally looked away from her plate long enough to see Bofur watching her eat over the rim his tea cup. "What?" She asked after swallowing a particularly large bite of bacon.

"Nothing, just glad to see you eating."

"I eat!"

"Aye, you eat. But I haven't seen you eat this much in a while. You've just been nibbling since you moved in. I guess breakfast foods are more to your liking?" Bofur grinned as Peri huffed, unamused at his comment.

"I suppose. Though that brisket Bombur made last night was good."

"He will be glad to know." Bofur watched as Peri slowly began to eat again, not so fast as if she had been starved before speaking again. "I have to return to the mines today."

"Already?"

"Aye, I've been away for a while and need to get back. Rorin has done a fine job but there are a few things I need to see to. He's already agreed to take over for me anytime I need to step away; which will be nice when the little one is born."

Peri nodded as she listened, nibbling on toast slathered in jam.

"Do you want me to have someone come by and look in on you or did you have other plans?"

"I think I'll go spend time with Bilba today. I haven't seen the babies in a while; she didn't bring them last time."

"Would you like me to take you there when I go or do you want to have someone come for you later? I have to leave soon. I'll need to get there before the start of the morning shift."

"I think I'll go lay down for a while longer. I can contact Primrose later if no one stops by before then. I think Dis was wanting to come by around second breakfast. Something about the wedding."

Bofur's smile grew brighter at the mention of their upcoming wedding; he had not hesitated in proposing when Peri had regained consciousness. As soon as all the details could be worked out they would finally tie the knot.

"That sounds good. I'll lock up on the way out so you will have to let her in." Peridot nodded distractedly as her gaze wondered back to the open bedroom door.

"All right my little gem, back to bed with you." Bofur downed the rest of his tea before scooping Peridot up and away from the table, holding her close. He buried his face in her curls, memorizing the scent of clean linen and sunshine that always seemed to hover about her before taking her back to their room and tucking her in; she was asleep before her head touched the pillow.

…

Thorin woke slowly; he blearily stared at the dimly light ceiling wondering what could have woken him at such an hour when he registered the soft humming coming from the boy's room. It was Bilba; humming one her soft Shire lullabies as he heard one of the twins fighting to give up his fussing and sleep.

He lay among the furs and listened for a moment longer before finally rising when he heard the other twin join his brother in wakefulness.

Bilba looked up at him when he entered but not once did she stop her humming, only graced him with that small and warm if tired smile he loved. He crossed over and gently lifted Falin from his nest of knit blankets, settling him against his chest before taking the other rocking chair by the fire.

His sons' tiny hands fisted themselves in the loose fabric of his sleep shirt as he made whimpering sounds. Thorin rocked for a moment, gently patting his sons back.

As soon as Bilba stopped to take a breath he began to sing a song of his own, one he could still remember his mother singing when his own siblings were still young. It had been the first song she had taught him on his harp and one he and sang for Fili and Kili when they had been small and Dis had needed help soothing them after their father had passed.

Bilba's smile grew as she listened to him sing. She had commented more than once that his voice was what had pushed her out her little green door and on the road. It also seemed to be what best calmed their sons, as both boys stopped their fussing and settled back into sleep.

He continued humming the melody as he slowly rocked, waiting until the boys were good and asleep before returning them to their bed.

After settling the boys Thorin pulled Bilba into his chest with one arm, placing a slow kiss to the top of her curls as they gaze down at their sleeping children.

Thorin counted himself blessed beyond measure as he basked in the warm fire glow, surrounded by his small family.

He led his sleepy hobbit back to their bed a short time later, holding her close as they both drifted back into sleep.

…

Nori startled awake when he heard a persistent knocking at his door. Stumbling from his bed, grumbling a bit about the ridiculous hour he was more than a little surprised to find Primrose at his door, face puffy from crying and fresh tears still clinging to her lashes.

"Lass! What is it? What happened?" He drew her in and shut the door before gathering her in to a hug.

"It's nothing. Just stupid…"

"It's not stupid if you are weeping over it. " He murmered into her hair.

"It was just…I…I had another dream."

Nori stepped back to look at Prim better. "Another nightmare? I thought they had gotten better."

"They have, sorta. Oin gave me a tea I can drink at night but it leaves me feeling funny the next day. I don't like to take it all the time. But I still have nightmares without it."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Nori pulled Primrose further into his home before settling her on the furs before his fireplace and going to make some tea.

"I didn't want to bother you" She whispered, hoping he couldn't hear her from the kitchen as he filled a kettle with water.

"You, my little lady, are never a bother." Nori hung the kettle by the fire before settling himself back down beside her on the furs. "You know you can come to me for anything. That is part of what I'm here for after all."

"I know! It's just… I always feel so foolish. They are nothing but dreams and shouldn't bother me as much as they do."

"They are not foolish, and I wish I had known about them sooner. I can't help you if I don't know." Nori pulled her hand into his lap, fingers tracing the scars left from the warg before speaking again.

"They are battle dreams. I used to have them after the Battle of the Five Armies. Terrible dreams. I woke up once still locked in the haze of one of the bad ones, pulled my knives and swung at Dori when he came to see about the noise. I nicked him before he could get out of the way."

Primrose looked at Nori with wide eyes. "What happened?"

"Ori went for Dwalin while Dori locked me in my room. He's dealt with battle dreams and knows how to get a soldier out of one. It took a while to calm me down and bring me back. That was the worst I had ever been. I had not told anyone they had been getting worse, and Dori had to suffer for it. So please, never feel you are a burden or bothering me if something is wrong. I love you Primrose, more than I can ever tell you. I will always be here to help you with anything, and these dreams are what are bothering you now."

Nori pulled Prims hand to his lips for a quick kiss and rose as the kettle whistled. He made them both cups of soothing chamomile tea before settling back down.

"The dreams are always similar. Sometimes it's the orcs and wargs, sometimes bandits; mostly it's the dwarrow that took Prim. It's always people I love that in danger and I feel as if I'm running through honey trying to reach them before something bad happens."

Primrose dissolved into tears again as she clutched her tea. "I'm so afraid that they will one day come true and I will be left watching someone I love die. I thought most of the dreams were behind me after we made it to the mountain. But after Peridot got kidnapped they have come back, worse than before. And I know you say I'm not a bother but I feel bad for coming here in the middle of the night. It's just; they go away when I'm with you. I feel safe here."

As Prim went quiet again Nori contemplated his tea. After less time than it probably should have he had an idea that he knew Dori was going to explode over. In one swift movement Nori placed his tea on the table before holding out a hand to Primrose, he placed her own cup aside before pulling her from the floor and into his arms. "Then you will just have to stay here."

"What?" Prim looked at him a little confused, "I thought that was what I did when I came over at night."

"No I mean stay. As in I want you to move in with me. You said the dreams get better when you are here with me. So that means you need to stay here with me, always."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I am! We can get your things later in the morning." Nori began to pepper her face in scratchy kisses making her giggle at the feeling of his beard. "For now I think we need to get some rest"

Nori reached up, pulling the few throw pillows and the blanket from the couch onto the floor before he settled Primrose on the furs in his arms. "Sleep now my lady. I'll do my best to keep the nightmares at bay."

Nori lay quiet as Primrose snuggled closer, and would not let himself even close his eyes before he heard her breathing smooth out into a deep sleep.


End file.
